Archie Kalokerinos, MD (medical doctor)

The problem arises because the definition of the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is too limited in its scope. It is usually accepted that it means the sudden, unexpected death of an infant who was either apparently well or suffering from a 'trivial' illness which normally would not be expected to cause death and autopsy findings failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for death. However, one could become involved in all sorts of discussions and augments concerning fine details of many cases. While a recognition of these fine details is important the definition as outlined above is a practical starting point.

Jon Poling, MD (medical doctor)

March 13, 2009

For the million plus American families touched by autism, like mine, there is real urgency to find scientific answers to help loved ones and prevent future victims. Unfortunately, some doctors still fail to even accept the increasing autism rate as real, rather than their own better diagnosis.

The collateral damage of "better diagnosis," the idea that we are simply better at detecting autism, is the abandonment of families coping with autism by the medical establishment, government and private insurance companies.

Beyond the high emotional toll autism takes on a family, many have been financially ruined. Public school systems are drowning in the red ink of educating increasing numbers of special-needs students.

Jayne Donegan, MBBS, DRCOG, DCH, MRCGP (medical doctor)

Exposure to a disease does not guarantee infection. If one has a good immune system one can expel or have mild forms of many diseases. Most of the diseases that are routinely vaccinated against have been our fellow travellers through many millennia. It is not in the interest of a disease to wipe out the population it infects. This is the reason that most of the previously, extremely virulent diseases, have evolved to a milder childhood form which does not kill or cause large ill effects, so that the children can grow up and produce more children that may be infected.

These diseases occurring in childhood actually prime the developing immune system of a child so that it becomes a strong, healthy adult who can completely throw off or certainly survive most infection.

A well known saying in the science of immunology is that "Autoimmunity is the price that one pays for the eradication of infectious diseases". When the immune system has not been primed by these, extremely useful, childhood illnesses, it goes awry and may attack its own body.

Joseph Mercola, DO (medical doctor)

A 1992 study published in The American Journal of Epidemiology shows that children die at a rate 8 times greater than normal within three days after getting a DPT vaccination.

A preliminary study by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) found children who received the HiB vaccine ... were found to be 5 times more likely to contract the disease than children who had not received the vaccine.

In the New England Journal of Medicine July 1994 issue a study found that over 80% of children under 5 years of age who had contracted whooping cough had been fully vaccinated.