Vaccines safe, but damage already done: Strang

• Desiree Finhert
• 2010/02/08

Nova Scotia's Department of Health is dealing with a deadly catch-22.

Our top doctor says a retracted study linking vaccinations to autism has caused long-term damage.

Dr. Robert Strang says the only way to quell the fears of anti-vaccine groups is to produce credible information.

"It's an ongoing work to get good, credible information out there," he said. "Anybody can put stuff up on the internet and that happens a lot in the vaccine world with the anti-immunization movement."  

Now that's doubly difficult.

British medical journal "The Lancet" retracted an unethical study linking vaccines to autism after 12 years.

Nova Scotia's Chief Public Health Officer says the damage has been done.

"Unfortunately, once a study like that is out there it's very hard to take it back," said Strang.  

He says the key to building faith will be in successful vaccination programs

Calls to the provincial autism centre were unreturned.