Safety of Vaccinations

Abstract

ON SEPTEMBER 17,1994, Heather Whitestone was chosen as Miss America, the first ever with a disability. Her deafness has been the subject of much media attention. On September 16, 1994, theAtlanta Constitutionran a story in its front section about Whitestone stating, "At age 18 months, [she] almost died from an adverse reaction to a routine DPT (diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus) vaccination. It wiped out all but a tiny sliver of her hearing."¹On September 18, theNew York Timesran an Associated Press story in its first section stating "Miss Whitestone... lost her hearing at 18 months because of a reaction to a diphtheria-tetanus shot."²On September 19 theNew York Timesran another story ascribing her deafness to a vaccination.³Not until September 26 did theNew York Timespublish a story stating that Whitestone's deafness was not due to a vaccination but actually resulted