(Newswire.net — March 29, 2016) —The film “Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe” was directed and co-written by Andrew Wakefield, an activist against vaccination. His study on financial conflicts of interest and ethical violations surrounding vaccines was published in the British medical journal “The Lancet” and then retracted in 2010. Wakefield’s medical license was also revoked.
According to the initial plan, the controversial film was to be screened at the Tribeca Film Festival, which will be held from the 13th to 24th April, but this decision was met with fierce criticism.
Many doubt Andrew Wakefield’s theory that the children’s measles, mumps and rubella vaccine causes autism.
Robert De Niro is the founder of the New York City Tribeca Festival. He recently defended his decision to include “Vaxxed” in the program of the Festival, but then suddenly changed this decision.
This famous actor, a father of an autistic child, had earlier expressed hope that the film will encourage a discussion on the subject which is deeply personal for him and his family.
He reviewed this decision together with the festival organizers and then explained that he does not believe the film will contribute to the discussion as he had hoped.
De Niro added that, in review of the decision to include the controversial documentary, he consulted the scientific community.
He said that the goal of the film festival is not to stay away from controversy, but certain things in this film prevent him and the festival organizers from presenting it in the Festival program.
The documentary director Andrew Wakefield and the producer Del Bigtree sharply criticized De Niro’s decision, saying that they were not given a chance to defend themselves against the critics of this project.
They said that this case is just a new example of the power of the corporate interests in censoring free speech, art and truth. The authors added that nothing will deny the world access to the truth behind the movie “Vaxxed”.
In recent years, many parents have refused to vaccinate their children due to strong anti vaccine lobbies.
Parents who do not vaccinate their children claim that constituents in the vaccines are very harmful to the health and can cause various illnesses.
Most complaints are against the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine, which is associated with autism. Doctors say that there is no valid test which proves that relation.