It makes me sad, vaccinations are one of the great success stories of 20th century medicine. We cured polio, we eliminated smallpox, we eliminated the 2-10,000 cases a year of blindness from maternally transmitted Rubella, we similarly decreased the prevalence of a host of other dangerous, if not deadly infections like tetanus, mumps and chicken pox. This week in the JCI is a review of HPV vaccines that could end genital wart infections and eliminate cervical cancer but since idiots identify it as a "sex vaccine" there is resistance to widespread use.

However, a weird correlation (not so weird given vaccination schedules) exists between autism and vaccination where about 6 months after vaccinations are administered, a lot of kids seem to come down with autism. Luckily, this correlation is disappearing as the diagnosis of autism occurs earlier and earlier, and eventually it will disappear. Yeah, yeah, they used to use a tiny amount of mercury in the adjuvants in the vaccines (note the study last week that showed similar use in dental fillings was also harmless) up to 1998 and that may change the correlation, but whatever. It was still all correlation and not a very good one, and you know it's bullshit if the lead proponent of anti-vaccine studies is Dan Burton, of alternative medicine and "Clinton is a scumbag" fame.

Now a direct genetic link to autism has been established showing the disorder is probably more nature than nurture. It's interesting the evolution of the blame for autism has emerged in a similar pattern to many other misunderstood diseases. First you blame the mother for being emotionally distant (the so-called frigidaire-mom or something), then you blame some random external cause (vaccines), now we're probably narrowing down on the truth by finding a gene (Pten). It still might involve environmental causes, or be exacerbated by them, but really, the fact that there are hot spots in areas where really smart people get together and breed (like Silicon Valley) is very telling. I look forward to seeing where this stuff goes in the future, and to finally shutting down this anti-vaccine crap. Bring on the flame war, I can take it.