Donald Trump’s opposition to vaccines is nothing new. Last year, he blamed autism on multiple vaccinations (i.e. children receiving more than one vaccination during a single doctor’s visit).
Ironically, his latest anti-vaccine tweet appeared one day after yet another major study debunked the purported link between vaccines and autism:
A new study adds to years of research showing that childhood vaccines do not cause autism, despite worries among a growing number of parents that their young children receive “too many vaccines.”
Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concluded that even when multiple inoculations are given on the same day, children are at no higher risk of developing autism, according to the report published in the Journal of Pediatrics Friday.
“This study looked into the concern that receiving too many vaccines at one doctor’s visit or too many vaccines during the first two years of life may be linked to the development of autism,” the report’s lead author, Dr. Frank DeStefano told NBC chief medical editor Dr. Nancy Snyderman. “We found they’re not related.”
The study was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, not the vaccine industry. It is one of many studies that failed to find evidence of a link between vaccines and autism.
Fortunately, many Twitter users are on to Trump:
@realDonaldTrump @KimStagliano. MR. Trump, when did you join the anti – vaccines crowd? Link between vaccines and autism has not been proven
— Ken Lapre (@KenfromCranston) March 31, 2013
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@realDonaldTrump @KimStagliano OMG!!!! there is NO link between vaccines and autism, no matter what the goofballs say
— Steve Ricketts (@SteveRickettsSP) March 30, 2013
https://twitter.com/tunitz123/status/318121462101848064
https://twitter.com/kmkrise/status/318130072752115714
We recognize that some vaccines may have rare side effects. Moreover, the public health establishment has a poor track record when it comes to acknowledging such risks.
Ironically, Trump’s use of pseudo-science discredits concerned parents (and others) who have legitimate worries about vaccine safety.
Related:
Donald Trump: A lot of people agree with me about vaccines
Donald Trump: “The FDA should immediately stop mass dose vaccinations”
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