Should ABC’s "Eli Stone" premiere be canceled?
Tonight, the premiere of ABC’s “Eli Stone” features a lawyer who argues that vaccine causes autism. According to script, the case would be won, and the mother outrageously awarded $5.2 million.
What’s all the fuss about?
The American Academy of Pediatrics is asking ABC to cancel the show’s premiere because it might mislead viewers into thinking that vaccines cause autism, when there are no scientific evidence to prove this.
So, should the “Eli Stone” premiere be canceled?
I don’t think so. The show is FICTION, and though it uses real-life cases and issues, it would be absurd for someone to say “I know this vaccine caused my child’s autism because Eli Stone said so.”
Second, I am guessing the episode’s writer had researched about autism and vaccines, and have a good reason for using it on the show. Good reason? Yeah, controversy sparks viewership. In fact, we’re already talking about the show and it hasn’t even premiered yet. That’s why, I am actually going to watch the premiere, for this reason. I want to know their spin on it, and if the episode has potential for misleading viewers, as the AAP feared.
Third, the vaccine-autism link has been around for sometime, but although proven by science to be a myth, the issue sticks. Maybe this episode is another way of generating discussions again over it (or are you tired of it already?).
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POSTED IN: Diseases and Medical Conditions, Immunizations, Drugs and Medicine
1 opinion for Should ABC’s "Eli Stone" premiere be canceled?
Marijke
Jan 31, 2008 at 11:05 am
I understand your arguments, but I don’t agree. I think it shouldn’t be shown. The main reason being - you and I and many others know that it’s fiction and shouldn’t be taken as gospel, unfortunately, many people don’t see it that way.
As a nurse, I couldn’t believe some of the mistruths or half-truths patients told me despite the opposite being very visible in the media.
Some people who watch TV never watch the news or read anything about news; they believe what they see. While they may realize that the show is for entertainment purposes, they may also thing that there HAS to be a grain of truth to it or else why would they have written about it.
Actually, I don’t know if it should be shown or not; I do believe, however, that it will result in some people feeling that their theory does have some merit.
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