Vaccinations Linked to Autism
Matthew Paskov
Dr. Lee EN-102
Synthesis Essay
02/08/2012
One’s health and any persons whose health they are responsible for, say their child, should be regarded as their most important priority. Doctors are the only people qualified to tell us how we should up keep that health and have earned that right through years of extensive schooling and research. Oddly though, doctors are not the individuals who write most of our headlined articles on medicine. These articles are written by medical journalists, politicians, and celebrities whose opinions, personal motives, and sources go unchecked and unquestioned by the general public. Educated reporters realize the public may take their words to heart and responsibly report on the event or issue in a factual manner. Other writers who are either uneducated or blinded by their ulterior motives report in ways that can confuse and misinform the public. Due to the populations devote faith in the media, if an issue of health is being reported on, whoever is responsible for writing and/or publishing said media, since they cannot be censored, must be held liable for any injury individuals sustain by listening to their advice. Two articles pertaining to the cause of autism in children will show the differences between educated and unsupported reporting and how poor reporting can leave the public at risk and no one to blame. Carrie Gann is the production assistant for ABC news’ medical unit and earned her undergraduate degree from Emory University in 2006, double-majoring in neuroscience/behavioral biology and journalism. The article she wrote titled “Autistic Brains Have Abnormal Number of Brain Cells, Study Finds” considers a study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association comparing the amount of neurons in deceased boys brains to whether or not the boys were autistic. Gann’s article does not at any point express her opinion on any part of the study or the issue at hand. She simply reports what the study
Dr. Lee EN-102
Synthesis Essay
02/08/2012
One’s health and any persons whose health they are responsible for, say their child, should be regarded as their most important priority. Doctors are the only people qualified to tell us how we should up keep that health and have earned that right through years of extensive schooling and research. Oddly though, doctors are not the individuals who write most of our headlined articles on medicine. These articles are written by medical journalists, politicians, and celebrities whose opinions, personal motives, and sources go unchecked and unquestioned by the general public. Educated reporters realize the public may take their words to heart and responsibly report on the event or issue in a factual manner. Other writers who are either uneducated or blinded by their ulterior motives report in ways that can confuse and misinform the public. Due to the populations devote faith in the media, if an issue of health is being reported on, whoever is responsible for writing and/or publishing said media, since they cannot be censored, must be held liable for any injury individuals sustain by listening to their advice. Two articles pertaining to the cause of autism in children will show the differences between educated and unsupported reporting and how poor reporting can leave the public at risk and no one to blame. Carrie Gann is the production assistant for ABC news’ medical unit and earned her undergraduate degree from Emory University in 2006, double-majoring in neuroscience/behavioral biology and journalism. The article she wrote titled “Autistic Brains Have Abnormal Number of Brain Cells, Study Finds” considers a study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association comparing the amount of neurons in deceased boys brains to whether or not the boys were autistic. Gann’s article does not at any point express her opinion on any part of the study or the issue at hand. She simply reports what the study
Cited: McCarthy, Jenny. “In the Vaccine-Autism Debate, What Can Parents Believe?” Handout, en-102. Dr. Jon D Lee, Fisher College, Spring 2012 Gann, Carrie. “Autistic Brains Have Abnormal Number of Brain Cells, Study Finds” Handout, en-102. Dr. Jon D Lee, Fisher College, Spring 2012