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Generation Rescue is a nonprofit organization that advocates the view that autism and related disorders are primarily caused by environmental factors, particularly vaccines. These claims are biologically implausible and lack convincing scientific evidence. The group gained widespread attention through use of an aggressive media campaign, including sponsoring full page ads in the New York Times and USA Today. Today, Generation Rescue is known as a platform for Jenny McCarthy's autism and anti-vaccine advocacy.

Media campaign

The organization was established in 2005 by Lisa and J.B. Handley and 150 volunteer "Rescue Angels" that included many members of the biomedical treatment movement at the time. Beginning in the spring of 2005 and running through January 2007, Generation Rescue began a national media campaign in the US, placing advertisements in such publications as USA Today. More recently it has been fronted by Jenny McCarthy, an author, television personality and former Playboy model.

Causes of autism

Generation Rescue has proposed a number of possible causes for developmental-related issues, such as vaccines, the increase in the number of vaccines administered, and thiomersal, a mercury-based vaccine preservative. Generation Rescue claims that biomedical intervention can help children recover. The hypotheses that vaccines, such as MMR, or thiomersal cause autism are not supported by scientific evidence, nor are claims that diets or drugs can cure autism. Because of Generation Rescue's public profile through national advertising and because its point of view is not shared by the mainstream medical community, its message has been controversial. and the organization has been described as anti-vaccine.

Claims that the MMR vaccine causes autism, promoted by Andrew Wakefield, were declared in January 2011 to be based on manipulated data and fraudulent research. Parental concerns over vaccines have led, in turn, to decreased immunization rates and an increased incidence of whooping cough and measles, a highly contagious and sometimes deadly disease. Generation Rescue issued a statement that the "media circus" following the revelation of fraud and manipulation of data was "much ado about nothing". Salon.com responded to Generation Rescue's statement with:

But any organization using a celebrity to mislead parents with claims of "new" data that rely on decade-old vaccine formulas and schedules is more than disingenuous, it's flat-out dangerous.

Criticisms

Lack of peer-reviewed research

Accusations have been made that much of Generation Rescue's case is based on publications that do not go through a proper peer review process.

Promotion of quack treatments

Generation Rescue has previously co-sponsored an annual conference in Chicago along with another charity, Autism One. The choice of speakers at these conferences has led critics to accuse both organizations of promoting unproven therapies.

See also

• List of autism-related topics
• List of vaccine topics

References

1. "Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey's autism organization – Generation Rescue". Retrieved 2009-05-08.
2. ^ "About vaccines". Generation Rescue. Archived from the original on May 4, 2007. Retrieved 2009-10-26.
3. ^ Vaccines and autism:
   • Doja A, Roberts W (2006). "Immunizations and autism: a review of the literature". Can J Neurol Sci. 33 (4): 341–6. PMID 17168158.
   • Gerber JS, Offit PA (2009). "Vaccines and autism: a tale of shifting hypotheses". Clin Infect Dis. 48 (4): 456–61. doi:10.1086/596476. PMC 2908388. PMID 19128068. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |laydate= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |laysource= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |laysummary= ignored (help)
   • Gross L (2009). "A broken trust: lessons from the vaccine–autism wars". PLoS Biol. 7 (5): e1000114. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1000114. PMC 2682483. PMID 19478850.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)
   • Offit PA (2007). "Thimerosal and vaccines—a cautionary tale". N Engl J Med. 357 (13): 1278–9. doi:10.1056/NEJMp078187. PMID 17898096.
   • Paul R (2009). "Parents ask: am I risking autism if I vaccinate my children?". J Autism Dev Disord. 39 (6): 962–3. doi:10.1007/s10803-009-0739-y. PMID 19363650.
4. ^ "USA Today Ad". Generation Rescue website. Archived from the original on April 14, 2008. Retrieved 9 October 2013.
5. ^ Coombes R (2009). "Vaccine disputes" (PDF). BMJ. 338: b2435. doi:10.1136/bmj.b2435. PMID 19546136. Retrieved 2009-11-08.
6. "Is it the mercury?". Generation Rescue. Retrieved 2009-10-26.
7. "Treatment: what's biomedical treatment?". Generation Rescue. Retrieved 2009-10-26.
8. Claims of autism cures:
   • Christison GW, Ivany K (2006). "Elimination diets in autism spectrum disorders: any wheat amidst the chaff?". J Dev Behav Pediatr. 27 (2 Suppl 2): S162–71. doi:10.1097/00004703-200604002-00015. PMID 16685183.
   • Broadstock M, Doughty C, Eggleston M (2007). "Systematic review of the effectiveness of pharmacological treatments for adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder". Autism. 11 (4): 335–48. doi:10.1177/1362361307078132. PMID 17656398.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
9. Miller, Nick (2010-02-04). "Debunking the link between autism and vaccination". The Age. Melbourne.
10. "Anatomy of a Scare", Sharon Begley, Newsweek, February 21, 2009
11. "Swine Flu Shots Revive a Debate About Vaccines", Jennifer Steinhauer, New York Times, October 15, 2009
12. Godlee F, Smith J, Marcovitch H (2011). "Wakefield's article linking MMR vaccine and autism was fraudulent". BMJ. 342:c7452: c7452. doi:10.1136/bmj.c7452. PMID 21209060.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
13. Deer B (2011). "How the case against the MMR vaccine was fixed". BMJ. 342: c5347. doi:10.1136/bmj.c5347. PMID 21209059.
14. "Study linking vaccine to autism was fraud". NPR. Associated Press. January 5, 2011. Retrieved January 6, 2011.
15. "Retracted autism study an 'elaborate fraud,' British journal finds". Atlanta: CNN. January 6, 2011. Retrieved January 6, 2011.
16. Lin RG II (2008-05-02). "Rise in measles prompts concern". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2008-11-04.
17. "Jenny McCarthy's Generation Rescue". Generation Rescue. Retrieved January 6, 2011.
18. Williams, Mary Elizabeth (January 6, 2011). "Jenny McCarthy's autism fight grows more misguided". Retrieved January 7, 2011.
19. AutismOne / Generation Rescue Conference 2012, AutismOne.org, May 2012
20. http://leftbrainrightbrain.co.uk/2011/06/autismone-throws-their-support-behind-the-geiers-in-autism-science-digest/
21. Bleaching away what ails you, ScienceBasedMedicine.org, 28 May 2012
22. MMS, or how to cure autism with bleach. Brought to you by AutismOne, LeftBrainRightBrain.co.uk, 29 May 2012

External links

• GenerationRescue.org - Organisation's Website
• Jenny McCarthy Body Count - A website critical of Jenny McCarthy's campaign
• Mothering.com - 'Is the American Academy of Pediatrics losing credibility with parents and pediatricians?' Bobby Manning, Mothering (October, 2005)
• ScienceDaily.com - 'The Age of Autism: Heavy metal', Dan Olmsted, UPI' (May 24, 2005)
• SFGate.com - 'A child's return from autism: Couple eager to share their conviction that mercury poisoning was the culprit' Leslie Fulbright, San Francisco Chronicle (May 25, 2005)
• "The Vaccine War", PBS FRONTLINE documentary, April 27, 2010

• Medical activism
• Autism-related organizations
• Health and disability rights organizations in the United States
• Non-profit organizations based in the United States
• Organizations established in 2005
• Vaccination-related organizations
• MMR vaccine controversy
• Anti-vaccination activists