Richard H. Hughes, IV, Member of the Firm in the Health Care & Life Sciences practice, in the firm’s Washington, DC, office, was quoted in Inside Health Policy, in “On Autism, Experts Worry Kennedy May Pivot Back to Vaccine Claims,” by Maaisha Osman and Jessica Karins. (Read the full version – subscription required.)
Following is an excerpt:
Although HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. avoided explicit suggestions that vaccines are associated with autism during a Wednesday (April 16) press conference, instead blaming environmental toxins, one industry expert speculated that he may be setting the stage for a broader campaign to link autism to vaccines -- starting with vague references to toxins in medicine, supporting sympathetic research, and eventually connecting the dots back to vaccines. …
"This begs the question as to which researchers will be tapped and whether they are qualified or chosen in pursuit of a desired outcome," Hughes said.
Hughes speculated that Kennedy may be laying the groundwork for a broader campaign to link vaccines to autism--starting with vague references to environmental toxins, then backing research by sympathetic scientists, and eventually tying findings to vaccines.
Hughes warned that such a strategy could have far-reaching consequences for both the autism community and vaccine research.
"This is, of course, concerning to the vaccine community and will dampen our ability to prevent vaccine-preventable diseases," Hughes said. "It is perhaps much more harmful to those living with and researching autism. We are closer than ever to understanding what causes autism in children, and learning to better diagnose, treat, and support those living with autism."
