As you may or may not be aware, The Columbus Dispatch (the only major newspaper left in my hometown) recently got my dander up by publishing an anti-H1N1 vaccine screed by a Dr. Phillip DeMio that completely misrepresents the science surrounding vaccine safety without checking the accuracy of his claims or presenting an opposing viewpoint. As a medical doctor, DeMio was given a forum to advocate courses of action that are not supported by the evidence or leading public health authorities and encourage risky behavior is some of the most vulnerable groups.

Despite some arguments that fact-checking of letters to the editor is inappropriate, The Columbus Dispatch does reserve the right to edit letters for accuracy, as detailed in the response one receives to a letter submission:

We reserve the right to edit letters for accuracy, clarity, length and taste.

My dander was in such an up-dander state that I could not get to sleep last night until I had tippity-tapped a missive (notice my trademark aggression has been toned down to match the venue) to The Dispatch editors pointing out DeMio's inaccuracies. The text of my letter (sans personal contact information), after some not-middle-of-the-night editing, is below:

To Whom It May Concern:

Careful consideration of the benefits and risks of medical treatments requires the best scientific evidence. Therefore, I read Dr. Phillip DeMio’s misrepresentation of H1N1 vaccine safety in his October 27, 2009 letter (“Better think before getting H1N1 vaccine”) with disappointment.
 
Contrary to Dr. DeMio's assertion that the risk of severe side effects from the H1N1 vaccine is “high”, the scientific evidence shows that the risks are very low, especially compared to the risks posed by H1N1 influenza. Furthermore, two antivirals (Tamiflu and Relenza), not five, have evidence for efficacy against H1N1. H1N1 is already resistant to one antiviral (amantadine) – a risk of antiviral overuse.

Accurate information on these topics is publicly available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/). This information is not in dispute among experts.

My greater disappointment, however, is with The Dispatch. The “Letters to the Editor” section is an important public forum for the exchange of opinions on the issues of the day. When opinions are expressed based on a misrepresentation of the facts, especially those addressing public health issues, without opposition or clarification, The Dispatch has failed in its responsibility to create a space for intelligent and informed debate. 

Sincerely,
Joshua T. Witten
Doctoral Candidate in Molecular Cell Biology
Washington University School of Medicine
Former resident of Dublin and Upper Arlington, OH

Evidence and recommendations from the CDC can be found in the links from their H1N1 site. A partial list of references to the scientific literature on vaccine efficacy, safety, and autism can be found here.