A January 23 paper published on a WordPress blog masquerading as a scientific journal claims to have found a link between childhood immunizations and developmental and neurological disorders. The “study,” which uses Florida Medicaid billing—not diagnostic—data, was funded by an organization known for promoting false claims about vaccines and did not undergo independent peer review. Instead, it was “reviewed” by a physician known for promoting false claims about vaccines who sells hoax vaccine detox products. Social media users are circulating the paper, suggesting that it proves the physician is right and falsely claiming that it was peer-reviewed. Several posts, including from pediatric cardiologists and an immunologist, highlighted the paper’s complete lack of credibility and many large-scale peer-reviewed studies confirming that there is no link between vaccines and autism or any developmental disorder. Some speculated that the paper’s publication was timed to legitimize a popular anti-vaccine myth days before Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s HHS secretary confirmation hearing.
Recommendation
A recent paper falsely claimed that childhood vaccines are linked to developmental disorders. Debunking messaging may explain that the paper, which was published on a blog, is not a legitimate study; wasn’t peer-reviewed; was funded, written, and “reviewed” by well-known anti-vaccine figures; and relied entirely on observational insurance billing data rather than diagnosis and vaccination status data. Additionally, messaging may highlight the decades of peer reviewed research in credible journals consistently showing that childhood vaccines are safe and are not linked to any developmental disorder, including autism.
Fact-checking sources: Immunologic, CHOP
