Vaccine Safety Study as an Interesting Case of "Over-Matching"

Increasing levels of diagnosed cases of autism have alarmed parents and health officials, but the cause has not been established. It has been hypothesized that vaccination itself, or some component in vaccines, may be somehow related to the onset of autism in some cases (Delong, 2011; Gallagher & Goodman, 2010). Researchers have sought to alleviate such concerns. Although most studies report null effects, work continues to be published that suggests some reason for concern (Hewiston et al., 2010). Some skepticism of the safety of vaccines still exists, documented by scholars on either side of the issue (Austin, Schandley & Palombo, 2010, Destafano, 2007). As it is, the topic of vaccine safety and triggering of unintended outcomes is one of the most controversial topics in environmen‐ tal health and toxicology.