Michell Bachmann’s reckless claim that the HPV vaccine can cause retardation is a growing news story. (In many ways it is worse than when John Edwards said in 2004 that if people voted for John Kerry, people like Christopher Reeve would get out of their wheelchairs and walk from embryonic stem cell therapies.) Now, Art Caplan—who tends toward edgy public advocacy from the port side of the boat—has offered a $10,000 reward for anyone who can prove scientifically that the HPV vaccine can cause mental retardation. From the USA Today blog story:
A bioethics professor has offered to pay $10,000 of his own money if Rep. Michelle Bachmann, R.-Minn, can prove that anyone developed mental retardation as a result of receiving the HPV vaccine...Still, Caplan says he’ll withdraw his complaints — and also donate $10,000 to a charity of Bachmann’s choice — if Bachmann can show the mentally retarded child’s medical records, and if medical experts who review the records agree that the girl’s disability was actually caused by the HPV shot. If Bachmann can’t come up with such proof, within one week, then she should “donate $10,000 of her own money to a pro-vaccine group that I select,” says Caplan, director of the Center for Bioethics and Sidney D Caplan Professor of Medical Ethics at the University of Pennsylvania.
Art should not be so stringent if he wants his offer to be taken seriously. First, a one week time limit is too short. Bachmann is running for POTUS and may not know the woman who made the claim (demonstrating her irresponsibility in this regard). Leave it open for a month. Second, why limit it to Bachmann? Open the offer to anyone in the USA who can prove through medical records that the HPV vaccine led to mental retardation. Third, increase the award offer to $100,000. (See how easy it is to spend other people’s money?) That would really get the search going for the link!
So, go ahead, Art. Make it a real offer. Don’t worry, your money is safe.
