09/23/2025
First, I must apologize for the length of this post, as I had several essential questions about vaccines and acetaminophen to ask and a few thoughts to share. Please read the full comments below.
First, the questions:
1. If vaccines cause autism, why is it so rare? Why don't I have autism, having received vaccinations throughout my life?
2. If maternal acetaminophen causes autism, why is autism so rare? The majority of pregnant women take acetaminophen during pregnancy (likely 2/3rds), and yet only a minority of children and adults are diagnosed with the disease.
Simple but important questions to ask. I want people to think about whether it makes sense to blame vaccinations and acetaminophen for causing autism. Clearly, if vaccines and acetaminophen caused autism, it would be a far more common diagnosis.
I find it rather incredible that patients will listen to what a politician says over what scientists and physicians say. Do patients really somehow think that scientists and physicians want to support the use of acetaminophen over the health and safety of their patients and their offspring? Sorry, but that is just nuts.
A couple more points regarding vaccines. Since vaccines have been so effective, we have generations of children and adults who have never had to suffer from or have never seen the diseases. Out of sight means out of mind. I am 66 years old and grew up without many of the vaccines we have today. I almost died from Croup, was hospitalized for Mumps, and got really sick when I contracted Chickenpox. Since some people have never encountered or seen these diseases, they do not feel they exist in their world - but they do.
My mother contracted Rubella (German Measles) in the first trimester when she was pregnant with me. There were no vaccines for Rubella back then. She was told to abort me because of the high risk of blindness, deafness, heart defects, and severe intellectual deficiencies. During my medical school training, patients with congenital Rubella Syndrome were some of the most profoundly damaged children and adults I had ever seen. I was lucky. My mother had miscarried just before me, so she refused to terminate. I didn't get by unscathed, though, being born with total deafness in my left ear and reduced hearing in my right. Still, I was so very lucky, for I never let that minor disability hold me back or slow me down.
The vaccination schedules for children and adults may need to be periodically reassessed. A color-coded rating of diseases and vaccines available may help keep the public focused on the most important vaccines. Completely abandoning vaccines, however, makes no sense.
As more parents decide to not vaccinate their children, diseases will return. It seems like we have to let history repeat itself for the younger generations to experience preventable diseases before realizing they do exist, they do cause suffering, and they do cause death. Such a shame. There is no question that the single most important medical breakthrough, which has reduced suffering and death throughout the world, is vaccines - hands down.
Now, we physicians and clinicians will have to spend even more time dispelling myths and medical inaccuracies. It is also unlikely that our brief visits with patients will be able to compete with the extraordinary amount of noise and misinformation that exists. Even today, patients often disregard our suggestions because they have read something different on the internet. It is extremely sad and can cause significant harm to patients.
I ask that patients consult with physicians/clinicians, follow the guidance of medical societies, and rely on qualified medical literature when making informed decisions regarding acetaminophen use during pregnancy and vaccinations for their children. I would be very cautious when listening to laypeople and politicians who have agendas. Remember, we physicians took an oath to do no harm, and it still guides all of us taking care of adults and their children.
Send a message to learn more
