DEBUNKED ANTIVACCINE CLAIM VACCINE MAY CAUSE AUTISM

DEBUNKED ANTIVACCINE CLAIM VACCINE MAY CAUSE AUTISM

Antivaxxer: “National Institutes of Health (2008 CBS interview with me)

Dr. Healy stated the vaccine-autism link remained an open question, not "settled science," stating in part: "I think that the government, or certain public-health officials in the government, have been too quick to dismiss the concerns of parents... When I was at NIH, I was very puzzled by the fact that nobody was looking at susceptible populations... The question has not been answered."

Facts (Answer from Dr.Free N Hess, Paediatrician)

The vaccine-autism link is not an open scientific question; extensive, high-quality evidence demonstrates that vaccines do not cause autism, including in susceptible populations.  

Multiple large-scale epidemiologic studies and systematic reviews have rigorously examined the possible association between vaccines—including MMR, thimerosal-containing vaccines, and the cumulative vaccine schedule—and autism. These studies consistently show no increased risk of autism or autism spectrum disorder following vaccination.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] For example, a meta-analysis including over 1.2 million children found no relationship between vaccination and autism, nor with specific vaccine components such as thimerosal or mercury.[1] The Institute of Medicine and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality have also concluded that vaccines do not cause autism, and further research is very unlikely to change this conclusion.[4][2]  

Concerns about "susceptible populations" have been specifically addressed: studies have examined children with neurodevelopmental disorders and found no increased risk of adverse outcomes, including autism, after vaccination.[9] While rare adverse events can occur in genetically predisposed individuals, these are not related to autism and do not alter the overall safety profile of vaccines.[10]  

The persistence of parental concerns is understandable given historical controversies and misinformation, but the scientific consensus is clear and robust. The original 1998 Lancet article suggesting a link between MMR and autism has been thoroughly discredited and retracted, and subsequent research has repeatedly refuted any causal association.[3][11][12][13]  

In summary, the question of a vaccine-autism link is settled science according to the best available evidence. Ongoing surveillance and research continue to monitor vaccine safety, but no credible evidence supports a causal relationship between vaccines and autism, even in potentially susceptible groups.[4][1][2][9][8]  

Dr.Free N Hess

Source : https://www.facebook.com/share/19T1YgbkVh/

References

1. Vaccines Are Not Associated With Autism: An Evidence-Based Meta-Analysis of Case-Control and Cohort Studies. Taylor LE, Swerdfeger AL, Eslick GD. Vaccine. 2014;32(29):3623-9. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2014.04.085.

2. Safety of Vaccines Used for Routine Immunization of U.S. Children: A Systematic Review. Maglione MA, Das L, Raaen L, et al. Pediatrics. 2014;134(2):325-37. doi:10.1542/peds.2014-1079.

3. Measles and Measles Vaccination: A Review. Bester JC. JAMA Pediatrics. 2016;170(12):1209-1215. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2016.1787.

4. The State of Vaccine Safety Science: Systematic Reviews of the Evidence. Dudley MZ, Halsey NA, Omer SB, et al. The Lancet. Infectious Diseases. 2020;20(5):e80-e89. doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30130-4.

5. The Myth of Vaccination and Autism Spectrum. Gabis LV, Attia OL, Goldman M, et al. European Journal of Paediatric Neurology : EJPN : Official Journal of the European Paediatric Neurology Society. 2022;36:151-158. doi:10.1016/j.ejpn.2021.12.011.

6. Vaccines and Autism: A Tale of Shifting Hypotheses. Gerber JS, Offit PA. Clinical Infectious Diseases : An Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. 2009;48(4):456-61. doi:10.1086/596476.

7. Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines and Autistic Spectrum Disorder: A Critical Review of Published Original Data. Parker SK, Schwartz B, Todd J, Pickering LK. Pediatrics. 2004;114(3):793-804. doi:10.1542/peds.2004-0434.

8. Principal Controversies in Vaccine Safety in the United States. DeStefano F, Bodenstab HM, Offit PA. Clinical Infectious Diseases : An Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. 2019;69(4):726-731. doi:10.1093/cid/ciz135.

9. Medical Outcomes of Children With Neurodevelopmental Disorders After SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination: A Six-Month Follow-Up Study. Wang LJ, Tsai CS, Chou WJ, et al. Vaccine. 2023;41(29):4267-4273. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.05.067.

10. Genetic Risk Factors for Neurological Disorders in Children With Adverse Events Following Immunization: A Descriptive Study of a Polish Case Series. Charzewska A, Terczyńska I, Lipiec A, et al. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2023;24(2):1117. doi:10.3390/ijms24021117.

11. The Vaccine-Hesitant Moment. Larson HJ, Gakidou E, Murray CJL. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2022;387(1):58-65. doi:10.1056/NEJMra2106441.

12. Vaccination as a Cause of Autism-Myths and Controversies. Davidson M. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience. 2017;19(4):403-407.

13. Vaccine Safety: Myths and Misinformation. Geoghegan S, O'Callaghan KP, Offit PA. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2020;11:372. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2020.00372.