Heuheuheu

EDIT: First time Saint on the PF! I can not ask doggos otherwise my username is a lie

Pinched Facebook, but had to share!

TLDR: Anti-vaxxers trying to prove that vaccination causes autism through an independent anti-vaxxer funded study, it has failed miserably.

Minds Safe is an anti-VAX pressure group. They were making loud noises about a preliminary study that showed perhaps a link between some neurological adverse events in primates and thimerosal-containing vaccines. The authors of the study made no connection between autism and vaccines, but that did not stop the confident minds from proclaiming this pilot study was 100% proof that vaccines cause autism.

So confident were sure spirits that they funded a follow-up study, using the same lead researcher. Here is where everything went wrong. This study found no link. The results of the pilot study were a statistical quirk. The full study did not find such a link.

Thus, this study met all the anti-VAX criteria. Researcher had already speculated on a link between vaccines and adverse outcomes. The study was funded by anti vaxxers.

The study however revealed no link between vaccines and adverse neurological findings. In addition, the study report stated, "Despite these limitations, data from this primate study provides overwhelming support for the safety of pediatric vaccines."

Now, of course, proud spirits proudly admitted that they were wrong all along. Oh wait, they do not have it. They doubled down and said the researcher did not do what they asked. Because obviously the people who finance the study decide on the results of the study. They were particularly upset the researcher did not kill the last set of monkeys and examine their brains. The researcher did not do that because it would have been unethical. The monkeys displayed zero symptoms of neurological adverse events and dissecting their brains would be useless.

Thus, not only did the minds sure get angry that a researcher refused to come to pay to conclude, they were doubly upset the researcher refused to treat the animals unethically.