Yeoz said:

I suspect quite a few people had something to say about the article and that’s why it was edited.

There were a bunch of other blogs and sites that ripped ABC over this story. Blogging and citizen journalism has it’s ups and downs, but one thing that it is pretty good at is pointing a spotlight at the mainstream media when they’ve got their pants down on a story.

Glad it made some difference.

After sending off my complaint to the ABC, I received a reply from ABC Audience & Consumer Affairs. I wont paste the entire thing as I’m not sure it is appropriate (and it is very long), but here is the important bit:

Nonetheless, your concerns have been noted, and I am advised by
ABC News that the article was updated on 21 September to include further
criticism of the AVN, from an infectious disease specialist. The
headline was also changed to “Lobby group urges more swine flu vaccine
tests”.

I suspect quite a few people had something to say about the article and that’s why it was edited.

        drbuzz0 said:

Oh, I thought that was made clear in the title above them.

They’re parodies, but not from the Onion. I made them and put them in the same format as the real article as an example of what happens if you listen to any individual or group as an authority.

They are slightly more over the top than the real article. Yes, they’re a parody.

You made them!? They’re brilliant! You should start another website with that kinda stuff in it. Funny as!

This year, due to concern over N1H1, the governments of the world are especially prepared and effort has gone into making plenty of vaccine. We do not anticipate any shortages. Of course the elderly, health workers, people with respiratory problems and other at risk health groups are the highest priority. However, everyone should consider getting the shot. It is fast, simple and safe. You do not need to go make an appointment with your doctor to have the vaccination, because it is being offered in walk-in clinics and drug stores. It’s nothing to go get it and it is doing your part.

We know the flu strain this year may be more dangerous than normal, but even if it is not, the influenza claims many lives in a mild year. Influenza is a virus and therefore it can’t reproduce on its own. It also is fragile outside the human body and will often die in the enviornment. For this reason, the flu can only take hold and spread by exploiting host organisms. The N1H1 strain should not be called the swine flu because thus far it hasn’t shown up in pigs, although similar strains have been associated with swine hosts. It is the human flu and humans are its primary host. It needs people to grow and spread.

Even if you are not concerned about the effects of the flu on yourself, when you are vaccinated you deny the virus the use of your body as a host. If enough people do this it will stop the flu dead in its tracks. Think of the flu as a wild fire and people are the dried out trees. When you vaccinate a person you take that tree away, like cutting it down. If you do it to a few, you slow the fire, but if you do it to enough you create a fire break and it can’t spread. It burns out. We can do that with viruses like the flu too.

The vaccine protects you, it protects your family and your coworkers and everyone else. It is the smart and safe thing to do.

Please consider the facts. It would be a tragedy if the opportunity to stop this virus were lost due to poor information. The above author is generally correct in assessing the report by ABC news as being very misleading and not accurate.

Things like homeopathy and so-called natural prevention or alternative medicine for prevention and treatment. You’re best off just ignoring this. By and large it is nothing but an attempt to get at your money. All evidence is that it does not work at all. Don’t bother. Stay with the vaccine.

        skh.pcola said:

Surely those bottom three articles are parodies from The Onion, right? Right?

Oh, I thought that was made clear in the title above them. They’re parodies, but not from the Onion. I made them and put them in the same format as the real article as an example of what happens if you listen to any individual or group as an authority. They are slightly more over the top than the real article. Yes, they’re a parody.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/contact/

Perhaps a snail-mail complaint letter would actually be opened/read however.

        [Other] Matthew said:

This is the part that confuses me. At least the nuclear power protesters can be understood, what do the anti-vaccination idiots gain from their noise?

All I can think of is they like the attention, like getting their mug on TV and like pretending they’re some kind of crusader against the big bad companies.

Is it any coincidence that Jenny McCarthy turned into the big anti-vaccine bimbo when she was starting to get to that age where she couldn’t compete with the 18 year old playboy bunnies anymore?

        Russ said:

This group is basically trying to stop that from happening and it just makes me wonder how anyone could actually contribute to that. Do they believe what they are saying? Do they not care and just like the attention?

This is the part that confuses me. At least the nuclear power protesters can be understood, what do the anti-vaccination idiots gain from their noise?