Every now and then we are privileged to witness an act of incredible stupidity. Today, ASDFriendly provided a first class example.

Little Nutter has left his toy rats at holiday club. He found out this evening when he wanted to watch his DVD of Ratatouille again.

He is “So, so sad!”

And now he is playing his “sad” emotional playlist on his DVD ripper software on his computer.

Penguin has moved in and made friends with Wallace; Gromit has packed his belongings into a handkerchief on a stick and moved out. Nemo has disappeared and Marlin is looking for his son. Andy has abandoned Woody. The chickens have learned their fate and Rocky, their last hope, has abandoned them.

Every sad scene from every DVD he owns has been ripped and gathered in a folder. He is playing through them all, one after another, and whining to himself: “You let me down!” “I want my rats back!” and “I’m so, so sad.”

Without it, he doesn’t know how to be sad.

I’m not sure when the General Medical Council’s final verdict on Andrew Wakefield is due, but it can’t be long now. The interim verdict is enough to be going on with, though, having said on 28th January this year that he “failed in his duties as a responsible consultant,” and acted with “callous disregard for the distress and pain the children might suffer.”

He still claims that the issue at stake is not whether the MMR causes autism, but whether the GMC can tolerate dissent: “I scare the establishment because I care and I am diligent.”

Since Wakefield’s eruption into public life in February 1998, ten of the twelve co-authors of his study into the MMR have withdrawn and retracted from the paper. The GMC ruled that he had acted “dishonestly and irresponsibly” during the affair.

The Lancet has retracted the publication and taken the unusual step of removing it from their archives.

Evidence has been uncovered by Brian Deer and given to the GMC to show that biopsy results of the children at the centre of the study were altered. The Royal Free Hospital pathology service found bowel disease was “a possibility” in just one sample; Wakefield’s paper claimed that eleven out of the twelve had bowel disease.

And evidence that could not be published until 2007 as it was sub judice has shown that the raw data Wakefield used to show the presence of MMR vaccine strain measles virus had crossed the blood-brain barrier in the children in the study was unreliable as the laboratory Wakefield used contaminated the samples.

Meanwhile, study after study has been published, each one adding to the weight of evidence that there is no credible link between the MMR and autism.

Autistic Enterocolitis does not exist.

I’ve just been told about another autism treatment on sale in the USA: ACE Pathways Investigation Study.

Make sure you aren’t eating or drinking while you read this – it is absolutely inspired. Apparently it claims that autism is caused by a “stealth virus” – presumably a smaller version of the F117 Nighthawk.

This treatment is non-invasive and very effective. It is best done when your child is sleeping. It involves putting a clear film againts the body to protect against the dye that is used. Surgical towels are soaked in a special dye and placed against the film. A special epione spray is then sprayed on the towels and a UV light shone on it for about one hour. We have not started the treatment yet due to some issues with my twins. We are most likely starting in the next few weeks. Here is a link to the study. Read some of the results posted by parents on here. It is amazing how well this is working. I have seen the results myself. NO NOT pass this up, it is the real thing folks!!!!! I believe that this will eventually become stanard treatment for children with autism.

If anyone is in doubt about the motives and true nature of ACE Pathways Investigation Study, this disclaimer should reassure them:

NO REFUND POLICY:

Thank you to all who have participated in the study. For those who are still waiting to begin we ask that you remain patient. We have been using smaller control groups as the study moves forward. If you have voluntarily withdrawn from the study early, you will not receive a refund. The NO REFUND policy was clearly stated in several places and ultimately on the invoice to which you agreed to pay. “NO REFUNDS IN PART OR IN WHOLE”. These terms were accepted and agreed to once payment was made and is a legally binding agreement. The management of the study is handled by a “third party”. Dr. W John Martin is not responsible for any policies set forth by the company nor has any ties to the management company. We will be strictly enforcing the no refund policy. If you wish to continue to wait you will be provided material and we will fulfill our obligation to you. This may take some time. This is a medical study and must move slowly and carefully. We are working hard to ensure the treatment will be effective for both you and your family. Thank you for your understanding and patience.

So: does it cost money? Yes.

Does it guarantee results? No – it’s still only a study.

Is it safe? No – the Canadian FDA and health Canada are actively monitoring this study, and it has been officially stopped in Canada.

Don’t you just love it?

“Look,” said Little Nutter as I gave him a bin bag and told him to tidy his room. “I’m not usually a rule guy, but this is a biggy: No Cleaning and Tidying!”

That’s me told.