We have just found out that academic and statistician, Scotty Harrison, provided a 12 minute presentation at an anti-vaccination seminar of the Australian Vaccination Network. The AVN were not aware of the content of his presentation.
Scotty states in this video description that he offered to appear again the next night, in the next town, to provide his talk again…for balance.
His offer was declined by Meryl Dorey and Greg Beattie of the Australian Vaccination Network.
Here is his evidence-based presentation. Kudos, Scotty. Kudos.
Australian Vaccination Network: denying facts since the 1990s.
That. Was. Awesome.
Particularly love Greg at the end… “We didn’t know what Scott was going to talk about…” LOLOLOLOL
Scotty-you are a stealth ninja statistical superhero!
Tell me about it, SD. The first we knew of Scotty’s presentation was when he posted his vid to SAVN, this morning. I couldn’t find the part where he was being an abusive bully, though. Sadface.
Indeed. His tact, civility, and self-control are really to be applauded. Absolute perfection.
Oh to be a fly-on-the-wall of Meryl and Greg’s inner monologues at this point.
Actually, scrub that, I’m not sure I want to know.
I would love to have heard the rest of what Greg started to say just before the video cut off. I wonder if it was a rant or even an attack on Scotty “Mr Balance” Harrison.
That was really really interesting info and totally logical and factual. What a brave man Scotty was to present that to a room of AV’s! Well done Scotty Harrison! So impressed!
Go Scotty! If looks could kill….
Scotty – I thank you, my family thanks you, and on behalf of the wider community, thank you!
This is the best presentation given at an AVN seminar that I have ever heard of! Thank you Scott for having the intestinal fortitude to stand up in front of Meryl and her bestie Greg and provide a basic explanation to the graphical illiterates. Brilliant!
AVN you haz been punked!
Mind …. blown!
Oh how I wish I could have been in Armidale that night.
loved it I could almost hear the uhhh hoo moment when meryl and greg realised that he was bringing balance
Like! Although to be honest that wasn’t balance – that was the facts. AVN cannot be said the be anywhere near being able to have anything to balance against.
When Dorey makes the “free speech” claim she needs to start accepting that that applies to everyone and that having a debate means having someone speak who may provide actual evidence against your claims.
Glorious. Well done.
oh dear…. Meryl can’t seem to help but fail completely and repeatedly
That was incredible.
I know. He was like a tactical, facting, soliloquising flash mob.
I thought it was Greg’s job to provide the “pro” case. That means there were 2 of them doing it! Talk about unbalanced!!!!!
Thanks Scott. I’d take their refusal to attend again as evidence of a very effective presentation.
Great point on living with disease induced disability. So vital in appreciating incidence over mortality.
Impressed 🙂
That is spec-fucking-tacular.
I love this. As a nurse immunisier, you just gave me a few great new points to respond to anti vax parents. Huge courage to present that Infront of the AVN.
It is excellent. Couple of corrections, though. The aPertussis vaccine does still affect the bacteria. It is just suboptimal. All the more reason for more adults to get their boosters (boost the herd, protect the bubs). It still reduces the severity of symptoms, and offers greater protection against transmissibility. Also, Australia did have a Diphtheria death in 2011. An unimmunised young woman died, when her immunised friend brought it back into the country. The immunised friend was fine (just a carrier).
See Tom Sidwell’s post regarding the effectiveness of the Pertussis vax, here:
http://lymphosite.wordpress.com/2012/04/08/b_pertussis/
And, the latest out of Qld, here:
http://newsatjama.jama.com/2012/07/31/author-insights-higher-pertussis-rates-in-children-vaccinated-with-newer-pertussis-vaccine/
The poor young woman’s Diphtheria death is noted, here:
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-national/diphtheria-death-in-brisbane-shocks-ama-20110503-1e64k.html
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I think we can all take a leaf out of scottys book. He was respectful, non aggressive, knowledgable and calm. Well done. If anything will get through this will. And if it doesn’t to the hard core believers it will certainly to the fence sitters
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