Orac is the nom de blog of a (not so) humble pseudonymous surgeon/scientist with an ego just big enough to delude himself that someone, somewhere might actually give a rodent's posterior about his miscellaneous verbal meanderings, but just barely small enough to admit to himself that few will. (Continued 
Anyone who's read this blog for more than a month knows my dismal opinion of Indigo woo girl, ex-Playboy Playmate, and gross-out comedienne Jenny McCarthy, who since having a child diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder has transformed herself from D-list celebrity to A-list, where the "A" stands for "antivaccine." Her combination of obnoxiousness, the arrogance of ignorance, and a dogged determination to stoke the embers of the discredited idea that vaccines somehow cause autism have endangered public health in this country in the year and a half since she published her first autism book. Worse, hers is the face that launched a thousand quacks, autism quacks, that is, as she has has repeatedly claimed on the Oprah Winfrey show that she "cured" her son Evan with biomedical woo.
Which is why I do so love a good takedown. Two, in fact:
- The Jenny McCarthy Body Count. Unfortunately, Jenny McCarthy's antivaccine misinformation may very well have a body count before it's all over.
- Vaccine Denial = Scientific Illiteracy. Definitely NSFW because Jacob Dickerman seems to be channeling Comrade PhysioProf on vaccines, but very amusing and spot on. More amazingly, it's an actual voice of sanity with regard to vaccines on the Huffington Post! Shocking, I know. Scientists had better check to make sure the earth is still spinning properly on its axis. What makes me think that it still is is that antivaccine loons like Nancy Hokkanen have shown up, along with the other antivax hordes who read HuffPo.
Medicine & Health
Comments
Well, there is a slight wobble..
Posted by: dreikin | March 31, 2009 1:13 AM
Nice..... Finally a site that puts this into perspective( referring to the Jenny McCarthey body count).If the antivax crowd are going to argue they're side of the argument with all the grace, reason and objectivity of a jihadist without ever exactly debating fact then it needs to be painted in the simple colors that resonate the most with them.
Posted by: Dr. P | March 31, 2009 1:58 AM
Are these cases sufficient for a study, yet?
Like a curve that shows whether there's a rise in preventable diseases some time after one of her public appearances, or when another of her books is published?
I wonder for how long this must go on, until there is real evidence for a correlation.
Posted by: The Gonzo Girl | March 31, 2009 2:09 AM
I see from the Generation Rescue site that Jenny has cheduled a new round of media interviews to promote her new book and to spout her antivax propaganda.
http://www.generationrescue.org/news-press/2009Mar-press-tour.html
*am tomorrow on Good Morning America, and on Friday 3rd April 6:00PM - LARRY KING LIVE (interview with Jenny, Jim Carrey, Dr. Kartzinel and JB Handley)
Posted by: dt | March 31, 2009 4:42 AM
This comment, I think, is most appropriate:
It's impossible to attribute direct responsibility, but, as vaccine-preventable diseases increase, thanks to her efforts, she bears at least a share of the responsibility.
Posted by: Orac | March 31, 2009 6:48 AM
The JM Body Count is excellent, just what the anti-vaxxers will deny is the result of their nonsense.
I had no idea there was a "voice of sanity" on the Huffington Post. Great job, probably one of the best places to counter the anti-vax idiocy, as they seem to live there on the AoA and Kirby sites. Dickerman didn't pull any punches. He did a great job.
Thanks for posting this. I wouldn't have found it otherwise.
Posted by: storkdok | March 31, 2009 8:25 AM
For a moment I thought it WAS Physioprof, but then I noticed an absence of HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! and realized my mistake.
Also, I am so totally stealing that line next time I argue with an anti-vaxer.
Posted by: KristinMH | March 31, 2009 8:45 AM
Jenny McCarthy is pretty smart, she knows just where the market is in order to make a better profit off her books. All the anti-vaxer's will support her and this book, and be assured they're supporting her bank account. McCarthy is a great example of YOUR money working for HER. I'm starting to feel all fuzzy wuzzy inside.... oops, I was mistaken that's feeling for wanting to puke over how this woman can target a group of people and make a profit off them. Good thing the GR web site is now called "Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey's Autism Organization - Generation Rescue". JB Handley might as well just step aside and just let McCarthy take advantage of people and families.
Other countries threaten bio warfare with Smallpox. I wonder how McCarthy will react to that along with JB Handley?? Didn't any one read the media event of McCarthy's X hubby? Spilling the goods on her?? More can be added to the list of Indigo woo girl. Anyone subscribe for fun to Generation Rescues list serv? Looks to me as if McCarthy promotes excluding Bio father's totally and inserts Jim Carrey as a replacement.
People who live near or in the states where those "anti vaccine loons" are get pretty fed up with them and how little they contribute to other worth while issues, like education and medical coverage.
Posted by: just a mom | March 31, 2009 9:33 AM
No, that would be non-trivial to estimate.
But on a related note, there is a straightforward correlation between the debut of Jenny McCarthy's story with the number of monthly reports submitted to VAERS having to do with autism. Same thing, even worse, after the Hannah Poling concession. These things do have an impact.
Posted by: Joseph | March 31, 2009 10:10 AM
just a mom:
To JB Handley that is what's known as a shell corporation. He set it up when he was claiming that his son would be non-autistic in no more than 2 years. When that didn't happen, Jen McCarrey slid in like a silicone lubricated hermit crab.
Posted by: notmercury | March 31, 2009 11:15 AM
Wow.
Thanks Orac. I am really amazed at what a huge, and rapid, impact my site is having. I figured that some people in the skeptical community would find it interesting, but I never expected to get over 7,000 page views in the first 2.5 days of its existence. I am just stunned.
Thanks.
-Derek
Posted by: Derek Bartholomaus | March 31, 2009 2:09 PM
Derek, that's awesome. You deserve beer.
Posted by: Rogue Epidemiologist | March 31, 2009 7:19 PM
@-)--
visit u r l below to see how we won James Randi's Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge...
@-)--
no need to respond, you little lying douche bag
http://dyn.politico.com/members/forums/thread.cfm?catid=2&subcatid=7&threadid=2228647
and phil plait, randi's dirty underwear washer....
Posted by: davemabus | April 3, 2009 3:21 AM
Hey, you've been visited by psychodave...congrats.
Sure you have Dave, sure you have (snicker).
Posted by: Seamus Ruah | April 3, 2009 12:09 PM