"The Greater Good" vaccine documentary

[shiningpearl]

http://www.greatergoodmovie.org  I've been waiting to see this.  I thought it was well done and let both sides have a voice.  It included interviews with Dr. Offit, Dr Sears, Parents, even Mereck.  It doesn't tell you what to think, but helps you ask the real questions, are they safe, how are they tested and do they cause harm. The point of it is to be informed and informed choice.

They are screening it for free for this week here is a link 

http://vimeo.com/31036452

some people have had problems viewing it from that source so it is also available at dare I say it...Mercola http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/10/30/the-greater-good.aspx

It is only available for free until Nov 5th. 

[LisaSedai]

I wish everyone would watch this. Made me cry.

[nia82]

There wasn't much new info for people who have already extensively researched the topic, but it was neatly put together with good graphics. I had to skip the part about what happened to the little girl, it was too sad and she's nearly down to the day DS's age. It is heartbreaking. It was good to see all those doctors who on a daily routine deal with vaccine damaged children and to hear their view. I also liked how they contrasted the statements of the policy-making doctors (Offit, CDC doctor, FDA people, Merck people) to the doctors who treat the injured children. It's quite devastating.

I felt overall it is to the vaccine debate what Business of being born is to the maternity care crisis debate. Overall the movie did not ask anyone to stop vaccination, it asks for free choice (no mandates), more research and better vaccines - to put much more effort, in essence, into quality control and ingredients.

[kathymuggle]

What nia82 said  

Thanks for sharing, shiningpearl.

[shiningpearl]

yeah, there wasn't a whole lot of new info (except I really didin't know about how they fast tracked the Gardnisil and what the placebo is in most trials).  But I think it's a great introduction to the topic when it comes to talking to people about vaccines. 

[guatemama1]

I just watched it and found it super interesting & helpful. I have done some research but watching a "movie" is easier on my brain :) I appreciated there was input from both perspectives. As a MPH student I definitely have been taught/see the public health view but as a mama and a human I have another view. There's a lot I didn't know. So far we have not vax'd and are still deliberating on when and if which to do...

It is frustrating to have to decide between diseases and potentially dangerous, barely researched vax reactions and long term side effects. I wish vaccines were safe or diseases didn't exist at all ~ that'd be nice... Anyway, I liked this documentary a lot.

[mama to 2 girls]

I couldn't help but notice the young girl who was injured by the Guardasil vaccine.....Did anyone notice how many meds she was on?! I am in NO way saying that she doesn't have health issues left over from the vaccine but perhaps if she tried to find an alternative to all those medications that she wouldn't have as many health issues! It made me so sad, to see all of the medication she was taking and I have a neighbor who has RA and she takes numerous meds and some of them are to treat the side effects from the some of the medications she is taking to try and treat her RA! 

I cried a few times thru out the video....I can't believe some of the statements that came out of Offit's mouth!! It made me want to punch him in the face. I love that they are trying to get out there, that "we" (as in those of us who chose not to vax or selective vax our kids until there is proof that vax's ARE safe!) are not some crazy, lunatic parents! We are just trying to do what's right by our children. All in all I really enjoyed it. It would be a great video for anyone just starting out researching vax's.

[ma2two]

I found it interesting to watch the facial language of the people defending vaccines. I noticed several times where they looked to the left (which in a right handed person can indicate lying), and Offit covered his mouth after saying something, which can also indicate lying.

[shiningpearl]

Originally Posted by ma2two 

I found it interesting to watch the facial language of the people defending vaccines. I noticed several times where they looked to the left (which in a right handed person can indicate lying), and Offit covered his mouth after saying something, which can also indicate lying.

I was totally doing that too, especially the Merck rep. he was always looking left when he was saying a "fact"

[miriam]

I

Edited by miriam - 5/28/12 at 9:04pm

[ghannit]

I just finished watching this, and I thought it was very well done. Heartbreaking in parts, but that is the important reality.

Good balance of opinion, and I liked that it showed a variety of families dealing with different vaccine injuries.

I can't say I learned anything new myself (having been researching for years now), but I know that had I watched this 3 years ago I would have learned a lot.

Now I'm debating linking this on my facebook while it's free to view (and dealing with the likely backlash).

[SilverMoon010]

I watched it with my husband last night and I sent it to my mom and sister-in-law.  I thought it was a great documentary.  I really didn't learn anything that I didn't already know from it but I really liked hearing the doctors speaking out about what they have seen happen to kids from vaccines.  I could have done without Offit's comments (and some of the others' comments defending vaccines) but their comments spoke for themselves IMO. I can see right through them.  You can see the compassion for children from most of those interviewed in the film and lack thereof from others. Bringing to light about fast-tracking the vaccines is also an extremely important point that I bet a lot of people don't even know.   

I hope new parents who just started researching do watch this.  Like someone mentioned above, it would have been a great additional resource for me when I started researching over 4 years ago, because at this point, these types of resources only confirm my feelings even more. 

[ma2two]

Exactly. The compassion and humanity and sincerety is so clear in the parents' and doctors' and researchers' and advocates' eyes and faces and voices.

Contrast to Offit--despite whatever he said, it all seemed like a big joke to him. The CDC woman looked hardened. The FDA guy looked nervous.

I also did not know that once the FDA approved Gardasil in the fasttrack process, that Merck stopped their study because the vaccine was now approved by the FDA. Shouldn't there be a law against that? It seems clear that Merck must have panicked with the results they were getting in the safety studies, so they found a way to stop the study.
 

Originally Posted by SilverMoon010 

 I could have done without Offit's comments (and some of the others' comments defending vaccines) but their comments spoke for themselves IMO. I can see right through them.  You can see the compassion for children from most of those interviewed in the film and lack thereof from others. Bringing to light about fast-tracking the vaccines is also an extremely important point that I bet a lot of people don't even know.   

[FaithHopeLove29]

Thank you for posting this! My husband and I watched yesterday, and while I probably won't sleep for several weeks while I have this new information (to me) to consider, it's better to know than to simply believe the FDA/CDC/Pediatrician is automatically doing what's best. I'm in the information gathering stage a few of you mentioned you've already gone through, and this video was an awesome collection of info.

[mytwomonkies]

This was a great video!