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Trump has hinted that Kennedy may investigate the disproved connection between vaccines and autism. He has been advocating for this theory for over ten years and mentioned on Sunday that he is willing to consider any solutions to deal with the increasing prevalence of autism nationwide.
Written by Sheryl Gay Stolberg.
Updating from the capital
The incoming President, Donald J. Trump, has been a long-time supporter of the unproven idea that vaccines can lead to autism. He mentioned on Sunday that he plans to have his nominee for health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., investigate this matter further.
During an interview on NBC’s "Meet The Press," Mr. Trump expressed the belief that someone should investigate the topic of autism, which was raised by the interviewer in relation to Mr. Kennedy’s doubts about vaccines.
Donald Trump mentioned that the number of autism cases in the United States has increased over the years and expressed willingness to explore any possible solutions when asked if Robert Kennedy Jr. would investigate the issue.
He expressed uncertainty about the situation, mentioning that there are various factors at play such as vaccines or chlorine in the water that could be causing it. People are exploring different possibilities to understand what is happening.
The number of autism diagnoses in the United States has been rising. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that currently, one in 36 American children have been diagnosed with autism, compared to one in 150 in 2000. This increase is believed to be due to increased awareness and better identification of children showing a range of symptoms that fall under the category of "autism spectrum disorder."
In 1998, a belief emerged that vaccines could lead to autism following the publication of a study by a British researcher. The study claimed to have discovered a connection between the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine and autism. However, the study has since been withdrawn and the researcher has lost their medical license.
Research has shown multiple times that there is no connection between vaccines and autism, as confirmed by a 2012 vaccine safety review by the Institute of Medicine, now called the National Academy of Medicine, which stated that the M.M.R. vaccine does not cause autism. A national study in Denmark in 2019 reached the same conclusion. However, as recently as August, in an interview with libertarian commentator John Stossel, Mr. Kennedy claimed that vaccines are the cause of autism.
Based in Washington, Sheryl Gay Stolberg reports on health policy for The Times. With experience covering Congress and the White House, she examines how health policy and politics intersect. To learn more about Sheryl Gay Stolberg, visit her bio.
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