I never knew how the vaccination/autism link first started. It seemed to be ridiculous: a plausible idea that was tested and found lacking, but that a few very loud voices insisted on believing anyway. So I was interested to hear about The Facts in the Case of Dr. Andrew Wakefield, a short comic-strip-panel-style treatise which tries to explain exactly what happened and when.

It explains a lot about the anti-vaccination movement. I understand where they’re coming from now, and even sympathize with them. But in this case, they’re completely misguided: “Big Pharma” doesn’t have the kind of power their fevered imaginings assign it. No one does. You can’t hide a conspiracy that big for that long, too many people would have to be involved, and there are too many ethical people who would blow the whistle on it even if it destroyed their lives. The only people doing any purported whistle-blowing here stand to profit from it.

This whole thing is appalling, but I’m deliberately not putting it into the Amusing/Interesting/Appalling category. It’s too appalling for that.

(Via the always-interesting forgetomori)