Some pediatricians are calling for ABC to pull the first episode of the new drama, Eli Stone.

In the episode, Eli leads a case against a major pharmaceutical company regarding the fictional drug mercuritol, a stand-in for the controversial real-life drug thimerosal, which, in the show, bears a strong correlation to cases of autism. The pediatricians are upset because they feel that the settlement that the plaintiff is rewarded (not really a spoiler, the good guy always wins in the pilot), and the one-sided case made in the show would deter parents from having their children vaccinated for fear of autism.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) president Dr. Renee Jenkins had this to say…“A television show that perpetuates the myth that vaccines cause autism is the height of reckless irresponsibility on the part of ABC and its parent company, The Walt Disney Co. If parents watch this program and choose to deny their children immunizations, ABC will share in the responsibility for the suffering and deaths that occur as a result.”

I’m not sure that there’s really a right or wrong side in this one. On one hand, I would say that the majority of viewers have a healthy disconnect when it comes to medical facts on television shows. To think that there would be a mass departure from vaccinating because of an episode of a fictional television show would be asinine. Now, it may get them thinking, and encourage them to do some research on the matter, but I think that’s what shows like this should be doing.

On the other hand, on this particular case, the facts are very shaky. Wired had this to say:

Thimerosal was largely pulled from the U.S. market in 1999 after the FDA belatedly realized that an expanding routine immunization schedule had led to infant mercury exposures far beyond the EPA’s suggested safety limits.

Some parents and scientists hypothesized that thimerosal was responsible for a sudden and disturbing rise in autism diagnoses. Eight years later, a growing body of evidence has cleared thimerosal: even though it’s off the market, autism rates haven’t fallen.

So…playing devil’s advocate here…if there really is no connection between thimerosal and autism, and this show drives some parents to hold back perfectly safe vaccinations because of an unfounded fear…well, that’d be an issue. But I can’t say I agree with Dr. Jenkins’ blatant fear-mongering.

I’m obviously undecided here…what are your thoughts? Is ABC acting irresponsibly here, or is the AAP blowing it out of proportion? Sound off with your opinion in the comments!

Check back in on Thursday for an early review of Eli Stone, which debuts Thursday, January 31 at 10/9c after Lost (whoop!).