A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. A little false knowledge is even worse. Which is why it is a good thing that the Lancet has finally and fully withdrawn the study which claimed a link between autism and MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella ) vaccine. In 1998 British physician Andrew Wakefield published a study which claimed a link between the onset of autism, the MMR vaccine and particular gastrointestinal disease.

Originally posted at Squarestate.net

Since that time we have seen a huge controversy as parents of autism spectrum children have claimed that there was an environmental change that triggered their children’s altered metal processing. This has lead to an intense backlash against vaccination for children. Over the last 12 years, there have been other studies but the findings of Dr. Wakefield have not been confirmed or reproduced.

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"Climate Change is the biggest global health threat of the 21st century."

Last week on May 16, 2009 a collaboration between the British medical journal The Lancet and University College London released the first UCL Lancet Commission report, assessing the impact of global warming on global health, and on populations.

Titled Managing the health effects of climate change (.PDF), the year long study highlights the threat of climate change on patterns of disease, water and food insecurity, human settlements, extreme climatic events, and population migration. The report also highlights the action required by global society to mitigate the health impacts of climate change.

"Climate change," the report concludes, "is the biggest global health threat of the 21 century."

But the impact on and cost to human societies globally is hugely unequal, with the populations of developed countries that benefit most from fossil fuels projected to suffer the least, while poorer countries that because of the projected health cost to their peoples have the maximum incentive to prevent climate change have virtually no power to do anything to prevent the changes.

It's the old story of the comparatively few rich benefiting in comfort at the expense of poverty stricken multitudes.

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