In The Politics of Autism, I analyze the myth that vaccines cause autism. This bogus idea can hurt people by allowing diseases to spread. Examples include measles, COVID, flu, and polio.
A number of posts discussed Trump's support for the discredited notion.
Lena H. Sun and Dan Diamond at WP:
The Monday White House news conference was designed to focus on Tylenol as a potential cause of autism and the drug leucovorin as a potential treatment — already controversial ideas despite the lack of definitive evidence for either. It initially appeared Trump and Kennedy would avoid blaming vaccines.
But in his rambling remarks, Trump called for the MMR vaccine to be given as separate shots; urged the delay of the hepatitis B birth dose until age 12; and urged parents to disregard the established childhood immunization schedule that targets vaccinations to when a child is most susceptible to disease, and called on parents to instead space out shots.
“They pump so much stuff into those beautiful little babies, it’s a disgrace,” Trump said.
A Washington Post-KFF poll on vaccine views this summer found 41 percent of U.S. parents believe children are healthier when they don’t get multiple shots in one visit. But public health authorities and pediatricians have warned delaying vaccines would mean children would not have immunity against diseases, such as polio and whooping cough, when they are most at risk.
Medical groups and immunization experts condemned his remarks.
“Today’s White House event on autism was filled with dangerous claims and misleading information that sends a confusing message to parents and expecting parents and does a disservice to autistic individuals,” said Susan Kressly, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, in a statement.
The article also quotes a leading expert:
“That was the most dangerously irresponsible press conference in the realm of public health in American history,” said Paul Offit, a pediatrician and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia vaccine researcher who has long sparred with anti-vaccine groups. “Here you have the president of the United States and his bully pulpit, you have the secretary of health and human services and his bully pulpit, both telling you that vaccines are basically causing chronic disorders.”
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