Patrizia (@patriziatamborrini.mastodontech.de.ap.brid.gy)

* * * * * * * An hourlong press conference about autism was filled with false and misleading claims about the condition and vaccines from President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., many of which we have written about before. As Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia pediatrician and vaccine expert Dr. Paul Offit said on CNN about the Sept. 22 press conference, “It was just misstatement of fact after misstatement of fact. It was a fire hose of misstatements.” In a statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics said the event was “filled with dangerous claims and misleading information that sends a confusing message to parents and expecting parents and does a disservice to autistic individuals.” In a separate story, we took a deep dive into the president’s main news — his claims linking autism and Tylenol use by pregnant women — but here’s some of the other misinformation we flagged: * Trump exaggerated old estimates of autism prevalence and misleadingly compared them with recent figures. Researchers say increased awareness and broader definitions of autism explain much of the higher observed rate today. * Kennedy selectively and deceptively cited research while dismissing as a “canard” the idea that higher reported rates of autism may be largely due to changing diagnostic criteria and better recognition. * Kennedy also wrongly claimed “full blown autism” exists only in people under 50 years of age. * Kennedy claimed that “research on the potential link between autism and vaccines has been actively suppressed in the past,” despite a large body of rigorous research that has refuted the idea. * The president wrongly said the Amish “don’t take vaccines” and have “essentially no autism.” * Trump falsely said there’s “no reason” to give a newborn the hepatitis B vaccine because the virus is sexually transmitted. But mothers and other caregivers can spread the bloodborne virus to babies at birth or by sharing food or toothbrushes. * Trump incorrectly suggested that the small amounts of mercury or aluminum in vaccines are harmful. There is no evidence that these ingredients are a problem. * The president incorrectly said that doctors “pump” babies with “80 different vaccines” and “too much liquid” in a single visit. Children do not receive that many vaccines at once. * Trump repeatedly urged parents to “break up” the MMR vaccine and vaccinate their children with the shots individually, falsely claiming that it was safer. Not only is there no evidence to support that, but the individual shots are not available for use in the U.S. ## Misleading Autism Rate Comparison Trump offered a misleading and exaggerated comparison of autism prevalence rates, saying that the “meteoric rise” went from 1 in 20,000 to 1 in 31. Reported prevalence rates have increased significantly over time, but researchers say that’s due to increased screening and awareness, broader diagnostic criteria, and more limited definitions of the condition in older studies, as we’ve written before. There may be some true increase in autism, but not to the extent that Trump, Kennedy and others have claimed. “It used to be 1 in 20,000, then 1 in 10,000. And I would say that’s probably 18 years ago. And now it’s 1 in 31,” Trump said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s estimate wasn’t anywhere near what Trump claimed “18 years ago.” In 2000, the CDC estimated that about 1 in 150 children in the U.S. had autism. Several decades ago, in the 1960s and ’70s, early studies using narrow definitions of autism estimated rates of about 1 to 5 in 10,000 children. Trump misleadingly compared the old estimate to the CDC’s latest rate of 1 in 31, which is based on data for 8-year-olds from 16 study sites, and the White House produced a chart on the CDC estimates over time, saying that autism rates had gone up more than 400% since 2000, a figure Trump also cited. But the latest CDC report said that such comparisons are complicated by changes in the sites studied over the years, and the estimates aren’t representative of the entire country. Trump also pointed to a rate for 8-year-old boys in California. “And I gave numbers yesterday for boys, it’s 1 in 12. I was told that’s in California where they have a — for some reason, a more severe problem.” But variations in rates among study sites likely reflected differences in screening and services for autism, experts said. “Research has not demonstrated that living in certain communities puts children at greater risk for developing ASD,” the CDC report said. ## Kennedy Selectively Cites Research on Autism Rise Calling autism “an epidemic,” Kennedy dismissed as a “canard” the idea that higher reported rates of autism may be largely due to changing diagnostic criteria and better recognition. “There’s been study after study done of that, that completely debunks that,” Kennedy said. “One of them by the MIND Institute at UC Davis, University of California. But also it’s just common sense.” But Kennedy is selectively and deceptively citing the research. As we wrote in April, a 2002 report by researchers at UC Davis’ MIND Institute found “no evidence” that widened diagnostic criteria contributed to California’s rising autism rate and concluded that “some, if not all, of the observed increase represents a true increase.” It was presented in the popular press at the time as being conclusive. The report, however, was not peer-reviewed and has been criticized by other scientists as having “unwarranted” conclusions. In the past, Kennedy has also cited a 2009 study by Irva Hertz-Picciotto, a University of California, Davis scientist who specializes in identifying possible environmental causes of autism, that concluded about one-third of the increase in autism reported in California was due to diagnostic criteria changes, including an earlier age at diagnosis and inclusion of milder cases. But the paper also noted that it had not included other potential contributing factors, such as increased awareness and desire to access autism services. A few other studies have attempted to quantify the impact of certain changes, generally finding between one-quarter to one–third of the increase in autism prevalence is attributable to a single factor, such as diagnostic substitution or a change in diagnostic criteria. But no study has tried to account for all factors. Craig Newschaffer, a professor of biobehavioral health at Penn State University, previously told us that there “is a very large body of informal descriptive evidence continuously reemphasizing the role of diagnostic tendency as a major driver of autism prevalence trends,” referring to factors that determine who gets diagnosed. ## Autism Exists in People Over 50 A second piece of evidence cited by Kennedy to back up his claim of an explosion in autism rates unrelated to better recognition or diagnosis in the U.S. was his false claim that “full blown autism” exists only in people under 50 years of age. “You’re only seeing this in people who are under 50 years of age,” Kennedy claimed. “If it were better recognition or diagnosis, you’d see it in 70-year-old men. I’ve never seen this happening in people my age. I’ve never seen a case of full blown autism. And that means profound autism. I want to be very careful. Headbanging, stimming, toe walking, non-verbal, non-toilet trained. I’ve never in my life seen a 70-year-old man who looks like that. You’re only seeing it in kids.” As we wrote when Kennedy made similar claims back in 2023, his claim is “patently false,” as one psychiatric epidemiologist and health services researcher put it. Those with what some researchers call profound autism — those who have an intellectual or language disability, or both, and require the constant presence of an adult to help them throughout their lifetime — absolutely exist among those over 50. There is no system set up to monitor autism prevalence in adults, according to CDC researchers. However, in 2017 agency scientists estimated an autism prevalence of 1 in 45 in adults using modeling based on data from children, taking into account the shorter life expectancy for autistic people. Such individuals have a heightened risk of dying from suicide, accidents and diseases of the nervous system such as epilepsy, as well as other health conditions. Older adults with profound autism could have received a different diagnosis or lived in mental institutions, where people with developmental or psychiatric disabilities commonly were sent in earlier generations. ## Kennedy Misleads on Autism/Vaccine Research As we’ve explained before, there is an extensive body of research refuting any link between vaccines and autism. Yet Kennedy — who has long pushed this idea — said that “research on the potential link between autism and vaccines has been actively suppressed in the past.” He said that mothers who thought their children had been harmed by vaccines had been gaslighted and that HHS was “closely examining” vaccines as a potential cause of the condition. A 1998 study that prompted such concerns, finding purported ties between the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and autism, was found to be fraudulent and was retracted. Despite that, researchers have rigorously evaluated a potential link between the vaccine and autism. They’ve also studied vaccine ingredients, other vaccines and vaccination collectively, but no credible research has found a link to autism. For a 2023 story, David Mandell, a psychiatric epidemiologist, health services researcher and director of the Center for Mental Health at the University of Pennsylvania, told us, “Every single rigorous study we have” shows “no association” between autism and vaccination. Scientists also have found that autism begins to develop in the womb, making childhood vaccines an implausible cause of the condition. “We now know that the neurodevelopmental processes leading to autism begi[n] in early fetal development, well before a child ever receives a vaccine,” Dr. Peter Hotez, a professor and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine who develops low-cost vaccines for developing countries and has a daughter with autism, told us previously. He noted that autism is primarily genetic in origin. ## False Claim About Amish Right after citing the increasing autism rates, the president suggested this was due to vaccines or pharmaceutical drugs, saying that “you know there’s something artificial. They’re taking something.” “And by the way, I think I can say that there are certain groups of people that don’t take vaccines and don’t take any pills, that have no autism,” Trump continued, citing the Amish as having “essentially no autism.” Later in the press conference, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary said, “The Amish population are a very mixed group, so there’s a subset that take vaccines, a subset that does not, and we know they have very low rates of chronic disease all across the board.” As we’ve reported before, there’s no vaccination rate data on the Amish community overall, but research that surveyed parents in Amish communities in 2011 and 2017 found 85% or 98% had vaccinated some of their children. And autism does exist in the Amish community. A 2010 conference paper estimated a rate of about 1 in 271 children, noting that how caregivers answered questions and genetic differences may have affected that estimate, which is lower than general population rates. Offit told us that the difference in diagnosis “always relates to health care seeking behavior. If you don’t see the doctor much, you’re not going to be diagnosed with autism much. But when you go there and look, you know, you clearly find it,” he said of Amish communities, citing work at a clinic in rural Pennsylvania. ## Hepatitis B Vaccine “Hepatitis B is sexually transmitted. There’s no reason to give a baby that’s almost just born hepatitis B,” Trump said, referring to the vaccine. “So I would say, wait till the baby is 12 years old and formed and take hepatitis B.” Hepatitis B virus is not just sexually transmitted. As we’ve explained before, babies can contract the virus from infected mothers during birth. Although it’s standard to test pregnant people for the virus, some people aren’t tested, and there can be mistakes in testing. A birth dose of the vaccine acts as a safety net to prevent infection in all children. Young children can also become infected by caregivers who may not know they are infected by sharing food, toothbrushes or washcloths, since very small amounts of blood can spread the virus. Trump said two more times during the press conference that the hepatitis B vaccine should be given at 12 years of age. When a reporter noted that HBV can be contracted without sexual contact, and asked him whether it was appropriate to be sharing what he feels about the subject, Trump rejected the critique. “I think it’s absolutely appropriate,” he said. “I think they should wait till they’re 12 years old.” Experts say it is especially important that babies and young children be protected from infection because the earlier in life a person contracts the virus, the more likely it is that they will develop a chronic infection, which can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer or liver failure. Even the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee, newly remade by Kennedy, was not considering delaying the hepatitis B vaccine until 12 years of age. At its Sept. 18 meeting, the group was debating whether to recommend giving the first dose starting at one month of age, at least, for babies whose mothers test negative. Ultimately, the panel decided not to vote on the question, at least for now. There is no evidence that the birth dose is harmful. Although the committee was considering changing the timing of the shot, it was never clearly articulated why it was doing so. One of the committee members admitted that “trust,” not safety, was the reason. ## Mercury and Aluminum In his remarks on vaccines, Trump falsely suggested that two ingredients in vaccines are problematic. “We have already taken out and are in the process of taking out mercury and aluminum,” Trump said. “Now, you know what mercury is. You know what aluminum is. Who the hell wants that pumped into a body? And there were rumors about the both of them for a long time, but we’re having them taken out.” It is indeed true that those opposed to vaccines have long alleged that thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative, and aluminum, which is used as an adjuvant to make some vaccines work better, aren’t safe. But studies, including those looking at autism, have not found the ingredients to be harmful. Thimerosal contains ethylmercury, which is substantially different and less toxic than methylmercury, which is what accumulates in fish. Unrelated to concerns about autism, and out of an abundance of caution, the preservative was removed from all childhood vaccines in 2001. The only vaccine children might have received in the past 24 years with thimerosal would be a seasonal influenza vaccine administered from a multi-dose vial. In July, after Kennedy ousted the CDC’s existing vaccine panel and installed handpicked replacements, the committee heard a biased and misleading presentation about thimerosal from a longtime anti-vaccine advocate and voted to recommend that flu vaccines containing thimerosal no longer be used. The government has not yet taken any public action on aluminum, although Kennedy has at times suggested it could be a priority. We asked the White House and HHS about the status of the adjuvant in vaccines and did not receive a response. As with thimerosal, there is no evidence that aluminum adjuvants, which are used in a wide variety of vaccines, including hepatitis B, HPV and diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, are dangerous. A large Danish study, published in July, for example, identified no increased risk of 50 chronic conditions, including autism and asthma, with increased exposure to aluminum in vaccines. Kennedy, however, insisted that the paper showed “calamitous evidence of harm.” Experts told us he was cherry-picking and misinterpreting the results. Removing aluminum from vaccines is far more challenging than simply switching from multidose vials to single-dose vaccines, since it’s essential for boosting the body’s immune response to the active ingredient in the vaccine. If prohibited, vaccine makers would need to find alternative adjuvants and retest products that in some cases have been safely used for decades. Neither thimerosal nor aluminum were ever in the MMR vaccine, which is the vaccine that was first linked — incorrectly and fraudulently — to autism. ## ‘Too Much Liquid’ Trump repeatedly mischaracterized childhood vaccination, incorrectly suggesting that “80 different vaccines” are given to a child at once, and exhorting parents to space the shots out. “They pump so much stuff into those beautiful little babies, it’s a disgrace,” Trump said. “I think it’s very bad. They have pumping that looks like they’re pumping into a horse. You have a little child, little fragile child, and you get a vat of 80 different vaccines, I guess. Eighty different blends, and they pump it in.” “It would be good instead of one visit where they pump the baby, load it up with stuff, you’ll do it over a period of four times or five times,” he continued. “Break it up. Because it’s too much liquid — too many different things are going into that baby at too big … a number,” Trump said later. “The size of this thing, when you look at it, it’s like 80 different vaccines and beyond vaccines.” It’s not entirely clear what Trump means by this, but he has used similar language before to describe childhood vaccination. As the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has explained, sometimes children will receive as many as six shots in a single visit. But the current childhood vaccination schedule does not call for children to be vaccinated with 80 different vaccines at once. Many vaccines are in fact given in multiple doses over a period of months or years to promote durable immunity. The White House did not respond to an inquiry seeking clarification and asking for support for the remarks. There is no evidence that the current schedule or vaccine dose sizes are hazardous to children or that additional “spacing out” of vaccines is needed. Delaying vaccination risks leaving a child unprotected. Offit told us that it doesn’t make sense to try to “break up” any set of vaccinations. “You’re not gaining anything. All you’re doing is giving a child more shots with no benefit,” he said. “You’re not making it safer. You’re just making it more burdensome for the child and for the physician.” ## No Need to ‘Break Up’ MMR Vaccine Trump also repeatedly suggested that people get vaccinated separately against measles, mumps and rubella instead of the combination MMR shot. “The MMR, I think should be taken separately. This is based on what I feel,” he said. “The three should be taken separately. And it seems to be that when you mix them, there could be a problem. So there’s no downside in taking them separately. In fact, they think it’s better, so let it be separate.” While Trump acknowledged at times it was just his opinion, he also made the recommendation five times, sometimes incorrectly stating that there is evidence to support it. “Break up MMR. Break it up,” he said. “It’s practically a known fact that if you break it up, you’re not going to have a problem. But for years, we’ve been hearing how bad MMR is as a combination.” “It’s been proven to be very safe when you give them in separate shots instead of mixing,” Trump said in yet another instance. There is no evidence that the combination vaccine is less safe. Moreover, the individual vaccines are no longer available, so no American can follow Trump’s advice. Offit told us that the sentiment appeared to stem from ideas first proposed in the fraudulent and now-retracted 1998 study. Authored by discredited British physician Dr. Andrew Wakefield, the paper argued that the MMR vaccine might cause autism, in part because the vaccines were given in combination and that was somehow overwhelming the immune system and then damaging the lining of the intestine. “He had no evidence for any of this,” Offit said, but “that was his theory.” Scientists from around the globe have since investigated vaccines, including the MMR vaccine, for any link to autism, and have not found any credible links. “There have been 24 separate studies done in seven different countries on three different continents, involving hundreds of thousands of children that have proven that you are at no greater risk of having autism if you got that vaccine than if you didn’t,” Offit said. “So separating it to its three component parts isn’t going to lessen something that doesn’t occur anyway as a consequence of that vaccine.” The combined MMR vaccine first debuted in 1971, following the introduction of individual vaccines in the 1960s. Clinical testing at the time found the combination vaccine “provides a simple means for immunizing against all three of these diseases without impairment of antibody response and without significant increase in clinical reaction.” Offit noted that Merck, the company that was responsible for each vaccine, probably could have made more money by offering the vaccines separately in the late 1990s when the autism concerns were raised. “But it would have been an irresponsible thing to do, because what you’re doing is you’re implying that by giving it separately, you’re lessening the risk of autism,” he said, “when you wouldn’t be doing that at all.” * * * _Editor’s note: FactCheck.org does not accept advertising. We rely on grants and individual donations from people like you. Please consider a donation. Credit card donations may be made throughour “Donate” page. If you prefer to give by check, send to: FactCheck.org, Annenberg Public Policy Center, P.O. Box 58100, Philadelphia, PA 19102. _ https://www.factcheck.org/2025/09/repeated-falsehoods-at-autism-press-conference/