Democrat-Herald

State health officials today spoke out against a television show that they say may endanger children by raising unwarranted doubts about the safety of childhood vaccinations.

The show is the premiere of "Eli Stone" scheduled to be broadcast on ABC Thursday night.

The drama's first episode "breaks the boundaries of responsible programming," the state Department of Human Services said in a statement from Portland.

The statement quoted Katherine Bradley, administrator of family health programs, and Dr. Paul Cieslak, who manages the acute and communicable disease prevention program in the Oregon department's Public Health Division.

"The script rests on the speculation that autism might be linked to thimerosal in childhood vaccines.

"It ignores the fact that this theory was disproved several years ago in study after study, conducted nationally and internationally," the officials said in their statement.

They pointed out that most people seeing the show have never encountered smallpox, polio, measles, diphtheria, meningitis or whooping cough, illnesses that have largely been brought under control through childhood immunizations.

They went on: "Autism is a heartbreaking condition, and it is frustrating that so much about it remains a mystery. No one yet knows what causes it, but after years of study, we do know that it is not linked to thimerosal.

"For this reason, linking childhood vaccination with autism in a fictional TV drama is irresponsible. If you view this episode, please do so with skepticism. And for your children's sake, please make sure they are up to date on their immunizations."

More information about vaccine and vaccine safety can be found at www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/imm/opic/vaccsafe.shtml.