Autism and Vaccines Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Are a Range of Psychological Conditions

question 192

Multiple Choice

Autism and Vaccines
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a range of psychological conditions characterized by challenges with social interaction, behavior, speech, and nonverbal communication. While there is no general consensus among medical professionals about the underlying causes of ASD, theories range from genetic inheritance to environmental factors.
One of the most controversial theories to have emerged in recent times is that ASD could be caused by the MMR [mumps, measles, rubella] vaccine that was first developed in the 1960's. The vaccine is a mixture of three live viruses and is administered via injection to children when they are one year old. By the late 1990's, this vaccination had led to the near-eradication of measles in countries that employed widespread inoculation. However, a combination of spurious scientific data and alarmist media attention led to an entirely preventable resurgence in measles cases in the early 21^st century.
The first claims of a connection between the MMR vaccine and autism were made in 1998, when an article in The Lancet, a respected British medical journal, reported on eight cases of autism that could possibly be traced back to the administration of an MMR vaccine.
An onslaught of media coverage followed the publication of this article. The popular press quickly seized upon this story; in 2002, over 1200 articles were written about the link between MMR vaccines and ASD. Less than 30% of these articles, however, mentioned that an overwhelming amount of scientific evidence suggested that these vaccinations were completely safe.
Question: What is the author's purpose in writing this passage?

• A)To describe the controversy surrounding autism and the MMR vaccine.
• B)To inform readers of the psychological characteristics of ASD.
• C)To persuade readers not to give the MMR vaccine to their children.
• D)To entertain the reader with a personal story.

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