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.
Another leading anti-vaxxer is presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. He has repeatedly compared vaccine mandates to the Holocaust. Rolling Stone and Salon retracted an RFK article linking vaccines to autism. He is part of the "Disinformation Dozen." He helped cause a deadly 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa.
He is now Trump's nominee to head HHS.
Rachel Cohrs Zhang and Matthew Herper at STAT:Robert F. Kennedy Jr. refused to confirm to senators that he believes vaccines do not cause autism during his confirmation hearing Thursday, appearing to jeopardize support in his effort to become health secretary with at least one key Republican, Sen. Bill Cassidy....“Will you reassure mothers unequivocally and without qualification, that the measles and hepatitis B vaccines do not cause autism?” Cassidy asked.“If the data is there, I will absolutely do that,” RFK Jr. said.There are more than a dozen studies showing that vaccination is not associated with autism, including studies specifically focused on the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine; studies focused on the mercury-containing ingredient thimerosal; and studies focused on the question of whether getting too many vaccines results in a higher risk of autism. All of them show that the shots do not increase rates of autism.
That includes 13 large observational studies conducted in the late 1990s and early 2000s due to claims of a link between the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines, and also later studies of other ideas about how vaccines might cause autism. For instance, a 2013 study showed that having more antibodies from receiving vaccines did not mean children had a higher risk of being autistic.
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RFK Jr.’s performance did not appear to assure Cassidy, who laid out a possible rationale for rejecting the nominee’s confirmation. Throughout Wednesday and Thursday’s hearings, Cassidy questioned whether RFK Jr. is the right person to advance Trump’s health care agenda on Medicaid and public health.
Cassidy said he wants Trump to succeed as a Republican, but he worries that if someone doesn’t get vaccinated “because of [RFK Jr.’s] policies or attitudes” and later dies of a vaccine-preventable disease, that it could get “blown up in the press.”
“The greatest tragedy will be her death. But I can also tell you an associated tragedy… that will cast a shadow over President Trump’s legacy,” Cassidy said.
Bernie Sanders and Maggie Hassan also took him to task.
BERNIE SANDERS: Vaccines do not cause autism. Do you agree?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 30, 2025
RFK Jr: As I said, I'm not going into HHS with any preordained--
SANDERS: I asked you a simple question, Bobby
RFK Jr: If you show me those studies ...
SANDERS: That is a very troubling response pic.twitter.com/8g83Ev6647
.@SenatorHassan's comments about her own child get at something that's rarely discussed when we talk about Kennedy's anti-vaccine industry and the "autism warrior moms" that power his movement. It's predatory and diverts resources from actual research and treatments. pic.twitter.com/ULxiM4ligS
— Brandy Zadrozny (@BrandyZadrozny) January 30, 2025
