Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump, president-elect, have recently revived the idea that vaccines cause autism. Trump, when asked about vaccines during a recent news conference, reportedly responded that there was “something” wrong with the rising autism rates. He added: “We are going to find it out.”
There is little to be discovered about the vaccines that are used in long-standing national vaccine programmes such as diphtheria tetanus whooping cough polio measles mumps rubella. Data from several countries shows that vaccines are not responsible for autism, or the large rise in autism diagnoses. Why do vaccines still cause autism?
1. Evidence is not being recognized
It is hard to communicate research results accurately and reliably to the public. Research results are usually kept within small research or clinical communities. Researchers are rarely able to share their findings and there is little incentive for them to do so.
The media, especially the popular ones, is often superficial and primarily focused on controversy.
2. Understanding the Science
In medicine, there are few absolutes. Science is complex. Public may expect a clear consensus, or find it difficult to grasp the nuance and precision of science.
Evidence indicates that vaccines are not the cause of autism or the reason for an increase in diagnosis rates. It is in the nature and scope of science to not be able to prove or exclude that vaccines cause autism.
They provide protection against bacteria and viruses that can cause serious human suffering and death. Vaccine programs have a high risk-benefit ratio, but they are not perfect.
3. Science and doubt
Science and scientists may be viewed with suspicion by the public. Science is often based on probabilities and models rather than absolute truths.
It may be frustrating or misunderstood that this is no different than personal attitudes or opinions. Evidence can be contradictory, difficult to reproduce, and even if it is not true in the case of vaccines and autism. This reinforces public doubts.
Misbelief is fueled by the human desire for simple and immediate explanations of complex issues. The public might also distrust scientists because of experiences with elitism and reports that researchers do not follow good scientific practices. persistent conspiracies may have led to mistrust.
4. The success of vaccine programmes is not always visible
The most effective public health interventions are vaccination programmes. They have prevented deaths and long-term diseases on a worldwide level over the past decades.
In many countries, the majority of diseases are now invisible. These diseases are no longer present, and this leads to the implicit belief that vaccinations do not need to be done.
5. Vaccines cause immune reaction
Vaccines must trigger an immune response to achieve the goal of vaccination. A temporary, inconvenient reaction is therefore a sign that vaccination has been successful.
It is possible that this alone could be counterintuitive, and cause doubts regarding vaccinations. Comparatively, with other drugs, the primary effect is not immediate, but preventive.
6. Parallels between events
Autism is a condition that affects the brain’s development. It usually appears in childhood. Autistic behavior may begin coincidentally with vaccinations or afterward and be mixed with immune reactions.
It is impossible to avoid making a link between autism and vaccination in these cases. Correlation is not the same as causation.
7. Infancy drug use without an emergency
Ethics issues arise when someone makes decisions about drugs for another or feels forced to do so. Infancy is a case in point, where parents must consent to their baby’s use of drugs.
In the absence of an emergency, it can seem wrong and intrusive to administer a series shots to a young human being who is still developing.
8. The actual harms of vaccines that are not well-established
Benefits and risk cannot be generalised to all vaccines. The vaccines that have been part of vaccination programs for a long time are supported by good evidence, which indicates a convincing ratio between risk and benefit.
The same cannot be said for new vaccines. The swine-flu vaccine used during the 2009 pandemic may have caused 1300 cases of narcolepsy across Europe.
It is important to distinguish between vaccines that are well-established and those developed in a short time. The discussions about the safety of vaccines that are less established seem to affect the trust in those that are more established.
9. The vaccine debate has become polarised
Trust, freedom of expression and debate are the foundations for open societies. But they also require shared responsibility. In recent years, there has been a polarisation in opinion on many issues, including vaccinations. This is not least due to the COVID epidemic.
Even moderate sceptics were marginalised and stigmatised by the urgency and need for unity in this situation. This has certainly harmed the trust in vaccines.
Bolte reveals that he was an author, lecturer, consultant or advisor for Medice Takeda, and LinusBio in the past five years. He is paid royalties by Hogrefe UTB Ernst Reinhardt Kohlhammer and Liber for his textbooks and diagnostics tools. Bolte is partner in NeuroSupportSolutions International AB. He receives funding for research from the Swedish Research Council (SRC), Region Stockholm, Prinsparet Stiftelse Hjarnfonden Stan Perron Foundation FORTE, European Union Sallskapet Barnavard Promobilia and the Marcus and Amelia Wallenberg Foundation. Bolte holds different trust commission roles, including those at Autism Sweden and International Society for Autism Research.
