Measles and Cloudy Thinking (Premium)

Ralph Campbell, MD

The recent measles epidemic with its scary media presentation has me asking, “What is going on here?” How much distortion of the facts is necessary in order to produce a compelling TV news story?

Apparently, an airline traveler from an unknown part of the wide world went to Disneyland in Southern California. Along came the measles virus, which produced ambiguous precursory symptoms similar to an ordinary viral bug. The media, from the onset, treated the mini-epidemic that followed with all the fear-promoting intensity of the recent Ebola crisis.

Measles “epidemic”?

Medical authorities apparently had no knowledge of measles in the pre-vaccination days and unanimously recommended the only thing they knew to do: vaccinate. Nevertheless, since people no longer stay in one place, the recent “epidemic” grew to 140 cases in several States. Imagine: 140 cases in 320 million U.S. citizens. Immediately the blame game began.