Donald Trump’s mad anti-vaccine rant: ‘Don’t let them pump your baby’ | World | News
Donald Trump launched into a bizarre anti-vaccine diatribe during an extraordinary White House press conference in which he also urged pregnant women not to take paracetamol, claiming the drug causes autism. The US President – who during his first term famously suggested that injecting bleach might prevent coronavirus – tackled the subject of public health once more as he spoke to reporters on Air Force One on Monday.
At one point, after he was asked whether he believed autism was linked to vaccinations, he replied: “Vaccines are very interesting. “They can be great, but when you put the wrong stuff in them, you know… And, you know, children get these massive vaccines like you’d give to a horse… like you’d give to a horse.” He continued: “And I’ve said for a long time, I mean, this is no secret – spread them out over five years. Get five shots, small ones.
“Did you ever see what they give? I mean, for a little baby to be injected with that much fluid, even beyond the actual ingredients, they have sometimes 80 different vaccines in them. It’s crazy.”
“You know that’s a common sense thing too… It’s like you’re shooting up a horse. You have a little body, a little baby, and you’re pumping this big thing. It’s a horrible thing.
“So I’ve always felt that. But we’ll be having a big discussion about autism tomorrow.”
“Autism is one of the most alarming public health developments in history.
“It’s gone up almost 400% since 2000—now it’s 1 in 31 kids. That’s not natural; that’s an epidemic.”
Referring to the religious sect which eschews all modern technology, he added, without citing evidence: “The Amish, for example, have no autism.
“We were looking at the data showing how bad autism is and I said wow look how bad this autism is.”
Mr Trump’s use of statistics is highly controversial, given that most experts believe the increased rates stem from better diagnosis. Critics have also pointed out that staggering vaccines for different illnesses would leave children vulnerable in the meantime.
American Academy of Pediatrics president Dr Susan Kressly subsequently stressed that “studies have repeatedly found no credible link between life-saving childhood vaccines and autism”.
She added: ”Any effort to misrepresent sound, strong science poses a threat to the health of children.”
New York University bioethicist Art Caplan described Mr Trump’s remarks as “the saddest display of a lack of evidence, rumors, recycling old myths, lousy advice, outright lies, and dangerous advice I have ever witnessed by anyone in authority”.
Advice carried on the NHS website states: “Anti-vaccine stories are often spread online through social media and offline.
“Always get your vaccine and health information from trusted sources, such as the NHS or World Health Organisation (WHO).
“The vaccine information on social media may not be based on scientific evidence and could put your child at risk of a serious illness.
“All the current evidence tells us that getting vaccinated is safer than not getting vaccinated.”
Mr Trump also seemed to suggest paracetamol – known as tylenol in the US – was partly responsible for a spike in autism diagnoses, urging pregnant woman not to take it.
