ELIZABETH COHEN REPORTS. 
>> PARENTS NEED TO KNOW, WHAT IS
BEING INJECTED INTO THEIR CHILD?
>> Reporter: CALL IT THE JENNY 
EFFECT. 
>> WITHOUT A DOUBT IN MY MIND, I
BELIEVE VACCINATIONS TRIGGERED 
EVAN'S AUTISM. 
>> Reporter: ALMOST A DECADE 
AGO, ACTRESS JENNY McCARTHY 
BECAME THE SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE 
ANTI-VACCINATION MOVEMENT, A 
MOVEMENT THAT'S ONLY GROWN 
STRONGER.
FINDING SUPPORT AMONG LIBERAL 
WELL EDUCATED COMMUNITIES 
DESPITE SCIENCE SHOWING OVER AND
OVER THERE'S NO LINK BETWEEN 
AUTISM AND VACCINES.
IN CALIFORNIA, FOR EXAMPLE, A 
STUDY OUT THIS WEEK SHOWS LOW 
RATES OF VACCINATION IN SAN 
FRANCISCO AND MARIN COUNTY, BOTH
WEALTHY AREAS.
AND AFFLUENT AREAS, RIVAL SOUTH 
SUDAN'S. 
>> WHEN PARENTS CHOOSE NOT TO 
VACCIN
VACCINATE, OTHER PARENTS AROUND 
THEM MAY HAVE SIMILAR IDEAS AND 
SO WHAT YOU GET ARE POCKETS, 
GROUPS OF PEOPLE WHO THINK THE 
SAME AND SO YOU NOW HAVE A 
CLUSTER OF CHILDREN WHO ARE 
SUSCEPTIBLE.
ALL KIND OF LIVING, PLAYING 
TOGETHER, GOING TO SIMILAR 
SCHOOLS, HOUSES OF WORSHIP AND 
THE LIKE.
IF THAT BAD GERM GETS INTO THAT 
GROUP, ALL OF THE SUDDEN, 
WHOOSH, YOU'LL HAVE AN EPIDEMIC.
>> Reporter: WHY DON'T PARENTS 
BELIEVE THE SCIENTISTS?
SOME CONVINCED THE GOVERNMENT IS
WORKING WITH THE PHARMACEUTICAL 
INDUSTRY AND JUST WANT TO SELL 
VACCINES.
>> I AM MORE WILLING TO TAKE THE
CHANCE OF HER GETTING ONE OF 
THESE, YOU KNOW, RARE VIRUSS OR 
DISEASES THAN GIVE HER THESE 
SIDE EFFECTS OF VACCINES WHICH A
LOT OF THE TIMES IS AUTISM. 
>> Reporter: 
>> I DON'T SEE THERE'S EVER A 
TIME TO INJECT A HEAVY METAL 
INTO THE BODY OF A 6 POUND AND 
UP CHILD IN ORDER TO HELP SAVE 
THEIR LIFE THROUGH A VACCINE.
NO POISON IS SAFE.
NO POISON CAN BE GIVEN TO A 
CHILD AND IT'S OKAY.
>> Reporter: THE SUPPOSED LINK 
BETWEEN AUTISM AND VACCINES WAS 
CHAMPIONED BY BRITISH SCIENTIST 
ANDREW WAKEFIELD BUT PAPER WAS 
REDAKTED.
>> THE FINDINGS WE MADE 
REPLICATED IN FIVE COUNTRIES 
AROUND THE WORLD. 
>> THAT'S NOT TRUE.
YOU'VE BEEN OFFERED THE CHANCE 
TO REPLICATE YOUR STUDY AND 
YOU'VE NEVER TAKEN ANYBODY UP ON
THAT.
YOU HAVE HAD PLENTY OF 
OPPORTUNITY.
>> EXCUSE ME.
A FALSEHOOD.
I AM TELLING YOU THAT THIS WORK 
HAS BEEN REPLICATED IN FIVE 
COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD.
>> Reporter: THAT WAS NOT TRUE 
BUT EVEN SO, MANY PARENTS STILL 
BELIEVE WAKEFIELD WAS RIGHT.
STILL BELIEVE THE GOVERNMENT IS 
LYING TO AMERICANS AND STILL 
REFUSED TO VACCINATE THEIR 
CHILDREN NO
