How's your ethical judgment? Listen to this four-act story and tell me if you think it's child abuse. It's only two minutes. Act 1. A researcher has a theory. The MMR vaccine contains inactivated measles virus. In some patients, the virus itself might take up residence in the gut, causing bowel disease like Crohn's. Through some gut-brain connection, this might cause a developmental disease like autism. He got approval from the Ethics Committee to admit some children with gut problems and conduct tests that were clinically necessary for helping treat the children. Act 2. Mothers of autistic children are advised by a lawyer to speak to this researcher. In 4 out of 12, referrals are made without any GI symptoms reported, and most of the rest had mild issues like constipation or diarrhea, which often went away with a good diet. Act 3. The researcher goes digging to prove his theory. He runs a battery of tests, including barium x-rays, spinal taps, MRIs, EEGs, and an invasive iliocolonoscopy that went all the way to the small intestine, taking tissue samples throughout. deviation from routine well. With one child, hospital staff documented inconsolable crying. He fought nurses, they found blood in his stools. He pulled the mattress from his bed, repeatedly vomited, and was tearful throughout a procedure. Two days after scoping, the child collapsed in the hospital corridor with no one but the mother around. He collapsed three times more that day. Another child had to be admitted to a hospital after discharge from the effects of the spinal tap. Another required a home visit from an ER doctor. In nine out of 12 cases, a later medical counsel found that the testing conducted was not medically necessary. Surprise! Act 4. The child who went from mild diarrhea to bloody stools and collapsing in the corridor, his gut colonoscopy came back normal. Hospital pathologists found no histopathological abnormality. But then, six months later, and without any more testing, the researchers' partners suddenly changed that child's diagnosis to indeterminate colitis, which means a life-changing condition like ulcerative colitis or Crohn's. He prescribed a powerful anti-inflammatory drug with a laundry list of black box label warnings and side effects. had symptoms that an autistic child would have trouble reporting. The mother didn't want to give it to him, but the researcher convinced her, saying that it might improve his behavioral symptoms, based on the unproven theory. Soon after taking the medication, with no behavioral improvements, the child developed severe abdominal pain. This same story of misdiagnosis, prescription, and side effects played out amongst most of the other children in the study. So, what do you think? Sound research practice or borderline child abuse?
Additional notes
Replying to @Avisha - 🧬Science Made Simple Want more background? This is Part 6 of a detailed series, covering one of thr craziest—and saddest—examples of medical and scientific fraud in recent history.
References
No DOI, PMID, or source link was listed in the spreadsheet caption. The transcript references the Wakefield case, the Lancet study, ethics committee approval, and later medical council findings, but the workbook row does not include direct source URLs.