NIH nominee is ‘convinced’ vaccines don’t cause autism, but won’t rule out more studies on the issue
Jay Bhattacharya said he’s “convinced” by the data showing there is no link between the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine and autism
Jay Bhattacharya, President Trump’s nominee to lead the National Institutes of Health, stated during his confirmation hearing Wednesday that he’s “convinced” by the data showing there is no link between the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism, but nevertheless left the door open to funding further studies investigating the question, clearly frustrating a key Republican senator.
That the presumptive leader of the NIH would endorse that autism isn’t linked to vaccines would not normally be notable. But Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., a longtime vaccine critic and now the country’s health secretary, refused to say as much during his own confirmation hearing in January. If Bhattacharya is confirmed, he would work under RFK, Jr.
