I understand your point about the article being about her as a celebrity mom. I don't think that you understand the impact that including the vaccine angle has on readers. Not everyone will look at the article objectively. Some people will take her side and look at people who choose not to vaccinate as lepers, rather than taking a closer look at why they choose not to vaccinate. Online you include links to substantive articles on this debate, it would serve your magazine better to reference these links in print, to inspire people to educate themselves on the topic. Without such links or a disclaimer, the magazine comes off in support of her views. (This can seem misguided on your part or pandering to the celebrity cause du jour).
—Christine Dupree
I was offended by your published interview with Amanda Peet in the August 2008 issue. My husband and I are both Ob/Gyns. We have a son who received toxic levels of mercury in his vaccines and who developed regressive autism. I have done my research as well. Although the vaccine causation theory has not been proven, the jury is still out. This is an area of ongoing research. Amanda's comment, "Frankly, I feel that parents who don't vaccinate their children are parasites" is a sure sign of her narrow mindedness. So she talked to a vaccine developer and was convinced that vaccines were safe. Give me a break! The rotavirus vaccine was one that the FDA pulled off of the market due to reports of excessive adverse events. Vaccines do have serious risks. I will think twice before I pick up a copy of your magazine again. Just because someone has a pretty face and a little fame doesn't mean they should be granted the opportunity to offend an entire nation of mothers who are trying to take care of potentially vaccine-injured children. Why don't you interview someone who actually is raising a child with autism? I am not impressed at all.
—Anonymous
Thank you for your interview with Amanda Peet. It was refreshing to hear a celebrity coming out in support of vaccinations. As the mother of twins, one of whom has autism, I am scared by this trend of not vaccinating children. I can't understand why so many people are willing to forgo the scientific evidence that vaccinations keep children healthy in favor of a theory that has not been backed up by scientific evidence. I hope more celebrities will follow Amanda's lead.
—Katharine Kelly
How sad that Amanda Peet has such a one-sided and disillusioned view about vaccinations. I was delighted to see her on the cover and then I began to read how she believes that parents who don't vaccinate are "parasites!" She should really get both sides of the story before she goes around calling parents parasites. As a natural health care provider I have seen countless parents come in whose children have been affected by vaccines, most of them diagnosed with autism. She was one of the fortunate ones whose child had no side effects, yet! Hopefully none of her children in the future will have any side effects from vaccines. She should really sit down with some parents of children who have been affected adversely by vaccinations before calling people parasites!!!
—Amy Ouelette-Duffy
I was very interested to see what Amanda Peet had to say regarding vaccines. To vaccinate or not is truly a personal choice, but it was very refreshing to read that she did her research before making the decision. I believe that far too often, moms are so easily swayed by peers, relatives, or a media trend without taking the time to get the facts before making such a serious medical decision. As a former special ed. teacher and aunt to an autistic nephew, I was glad to see that Peet isn't jumping on the anti-vaccine bandwagon since the medical research simply doesn't support it as the cause. The misinformation regarding vaccines and autism, in particular, is staggering. I'm sure her choice to support vaccines may not be popular in Hollywood, but I'm just thrilled to see that she took the time to research it herself instead of following the popular playgroup opinion.
—Anonymous
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