In 1985 a micropalaeontologist who had emigrated from Slovakia to Australia in 1968 was testing the breathing patterns of babies recently vaccinated with DTP.
Using an infant breathing monitor invented by her late husband the geological surveyor with NSW Department of Mineral Resources claimed to have witnessed “stressed breathing”. With this one unconfirmed assertation the woman, Viera Scheibner, went on to claim she had discovered the cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. She attempted to alert the scientific community to this Nobel Prize worthy “discovery”.
The claim – having none of the specifics of established scientific inquiry – was dismissed. Thus began the long career of arguable revenge that has driven Viera Scheibner to not only blame vaccines for almost all physical ills but to claim her conclusions come from the very literature source whose authors spurned her “discovery”. Claiming vaccines cause AIDS, asthma, immune suppression, Legionnaires, SIDS, Shaken Baby Syndrome, indeed all infectious disease, Scheibner insists “orthodox medical research” shows this. Disease conversely is “good”.
Scheibner is a role model to Meryl Dorey of The Australian Vaccination Network. However Viera clearly tries to fool Australians. In her book she writes that when Japan moved vaccination age from under 12 months to 2 years the incidence of SIDS “virtually disappeared”. In fact she had sourced her figures from vaccination compensation. In Japan SIDS is only diagnosed in infants under 12 months. Thus SIDS had not disappeared, only the opportunity to link it to vaccination compensation.
Despite claiming that Sweden abandoned pertussis vaccination due to a loss of trust, Scheibner forgets to recount the immediate rise in pertussis cases and their research effort into new pertussis vaccines. Nor does she recount how Sweden resumed pertussis vaccination to great success. She continues to insist vaccines have done nothing more than “sensitise” human beings to viral infection despite dissenting data and massive drops in disease. Scheibner also denies smallpox was eradicated.
This video refutes the claims she recently made on Channel 7’s Sunrise program in Australia.
Losing In The Lucky Country 
Well done on the video. It shows both the arguments used by the anti-vaccination lobby and the actual science and statistics of vaccination very clearly. I sincerely commend you on this fine reporting. You are doing an excellent job at educating the public. If only stories like this were given an airing on the Today show instead of the the publication of crackpot theories of people like Viera. I honestly consider it an awful lapse in judgement and ethics on the part of the Today show to giving her any airtime at all.
Sometimes people with these types of ideas (such as the anti-vaccination theories of Viera) are sincere in their beliefs but have fundamentally misunderstood the science behind the ideas.
In this case, given Vieras clear misuse of statistics and obvious fictitious statements regarding vaccinations, I can only conclude that she deliberately attempts to deceive her audience. What I find harder to understand is why she would want to do this. Is it because she made a big mistake a long time ago and initially invested so much time and effort that she has made a strategic decision to persist with a hopelessly flawed pseudoscience (perhaps just to save face) ? Or is her mind just hard wired to resolve cognitive dissonance in a chronological sequence ? (i.e. first idea must always be held to be true regardless of dissenting evidence).
Thanks kindly for the feedback Paul – much appreciated.
Yes, a good look at Viera’s work shows she is intentionally deceptive and case studies show she’s gone to great lengths to twist research to suit her message. But I’m sure cognitive dissonance plays a part. Using unrelated data sets is very popular because counter-intuitively, it actually makes more sense to most people than flowing stats on any particular subject.
Pertussis is perfect for that. Pointing out rising vaccination rates vs increasing notifications over the same time period looks compelling. But add in the waning of immunity, immigration, tourism here and OS, business trips and the fact most notifications are adults without boosters and it’s quite different. Plus notification rates themselves have increased independently of pertussis presentations.
And with any complex issue. The more variables you add the easier to get lost in details.
The topic of why people believe nonsense and see “facts” where there aren’t any is fascinating in itself. Pity there’s no vaccine for it…
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Let me guess, you base your point and information on CDC and other government and mainstream medical outlets? Who do you think profits from vaccines? Who gets money for every vaccine administered? Do you really trust those getting thousands of dollars from the vaccinations are going to give you solid untainted facts? Please, do your research on the doctors and people you base your claim on. Money speaks volumes. Also, research the ingredient list of each vaccine provided conveniently on the government page for vaccines, than after researching each ingredient and the effects and damages of those ingredients claim that vaccines are the hero and are so beneficial….if you still feel so strongly after that so be it….but for everyone’s sake, do some in depth research.
Such tired old and demonstrably false conspiracy claims, I’m as disappointed as amused Ceci.
If I wanted to make money why make a few cents from a vaccine when I could reap tens of thousands from drugs treating the disease.
Research needs to be independently validated. Regurgitating antivaccinationist lies is not research. Don’t like the facts, so it must all be the man behind the curtain. Don’t understand chemistry or what chemicals are? Must be poison.
Absolute nonsense.
All those who are so in love with vaccines should go on TV and allow themselves to be injected with all boosters, plus current flu vaccines. All at once as is recommended for babies and young children. Then we shall watch them for days, weeks and months for immedate and delayed effects.
They like to play with the words like science while they haven’t studied a single medical paper; If they have they would be against vaccination. All information showing vaccines ineffective, unnecessary and dangerous has been published in the reputable medical journals.
Scientific debate is not juggling words and uninformed personal opinions and school-yard bully argumenta ad hominem.
Their own behaviour says everything about them and nothing about their targets.
Well, what are you waiting for? Roll up your sleeves and get on with the wonderful vaccine injections.
Typical Viera. The video addresses your falsehoods and as such debunks your misinformation. Please accept the data at hand and deal with them.
This nonsensesical notion that there is a demonstrable component of vaccine efficacy or safety that can be challenged by multiplying infant and childhood vaccine schedules to equal arbitrary values which are then given to adults, demonstrates your pseudoscientific beliefs.
Although if it makes you happy I did happily receive my DTaP booster and a ‘flu vaccine together.
Hi again Viera.
I just wanted to note this comment salvaged from your response above:
**Scientific debate is not juggling words and uninformed personal opinions and school-yard bully argumenta ad hominem.**
Apart from the video – which addresses your falsehoods from start to finish, the post above also addresses two startling deceptions that you have put forward as evidence. If you would be so kind as to answer these two inconsistencies, I would be delighted.
1) In her book she writes that when Japan moved vaccination age from under 12 months to 2 years the incidence of SIDS “virtually disappeared”. In fact she had sourced her figures from vaccination compensation. In Japan SIDS is only diagnosed in infants under 12 months. Thus SIDS had not disappeared, only the opportunity to link it to vaccination compensation.
See page 4701: Public opponents of vaccination: a case study National Centre for Immunisation Research & Surveillance
Vaccine 21 – 2003) 4700 – 4703. DOI: 10.1016/S0264-410X(03)00520-6
Source: PubMed
PDF
2) Despite claiming that Sweden abandoned pertussis vaccination due to a loss of trust, Scheibner forgets to recount the immediate rise in pertussis cases and their research effort into new pertussis vaccines. Nor does she recount how Sweden resumed pertussis vaccination to great success.
Declining pertussis incidence in Sweden following the introduction of acellular pertussis vaccine.
Small Decision, Large Impact: Why Not Vaccinating Your Child Is Dangerous
I have taken recent boosters at age 54, I feel fine Viera! Have you been working with rocks too long? I believe those rocks has taken residence in your head. Shacking my head.
Firstly, Ms Scheiber, your publications lead me to suspect that you have no medical qualifications. Would you mind awfully listing for us your relevant medical qualifications please.
Secondly, as for your challenge that I and others ‘go on TV and allow themselves to be injected with all boosters, plus current flu vaccines. All at once ’, I accept your challenge, with some conditions. These are:
#1. that we would need to agree how to credit all the vaccines I have received in the last five years, (which are the DPaT, MMR, annual flu, H1H1, shingles, and meningitis).
#2. that you organise the event, including the TV studio and supply of all vaccines;
#3. that you are responsible for all expenses;
#4. that I approve the doctor or nurse administering the vaccines;
#5 we will agree on a time limit for your ‘Then we shall watch them for days, weeks and months for immedate (sic) and delayed effects.’ I suggest six months, and;
#6. that we have a wager on it that I do that: $100,000 if I do that, paid by you, and $100,000 if I decline, payable by me; all laid out in an iron-clad legal contract.
You must be aware that this challenge has been made many times before by anti-vaxxers and every time that the challenge has been accepted the anti-vaccine challenger reneged. For example, on 14 January 2015 I accepted a similar challenge made by your fellow crank Bronwyn Hancock with similar conditions to those above and she has not responded. (I assume that I have called her bluff.) Hence my insistence that you sign a contract, as I do not waste my time on cranks.
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