A leading doctor who backed vaccine safety has signed a sworn statement saying inoculations can cause autism in some cases.
US paediatric neurologist Dr Andrew Zimmerman says vaccine fever and immune stimulation could cause autism in a subset of children with a mitochondrial dysfunction.
Dr Andrew Zimmerman, who believes the MMR vaccine can cause autism in children with a mitochondrial dysfunction
Zimmerman, a professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, says throughout his career he has “vigorously defended” vaccines.
Vaccine link to autism
But in his affidavit he says he told lawyers of the link to autism in 2007.
John Fletcher is a member of Justice, Awareness and Basic Support (JABS), a UK self-help group.
The group supports families who believe their children have been damaged by vaccines.
Fletcher called the development in the US “very significant”.
Brain damage
The UK government awarded him and his wife Jackie £90,000 after the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine gave their 27-year-old son Robert brain damage.
Robert now has epileptic fits, is unable to talk, stand unaided or feed himself. However, he does not have autism.
A jury made up of a judge and two doctors awarded the compensation. They said the ruling had no relevance to the question of a link between the vaccine and autism.
Zimmerman says he told US Department of Justice (DOJ) lawyers of the case at a federal court hearing.
The American hearing involved the family of Michelle Cedillo, who were claiming that the MMR vaccine caused their daughter’s autism.
Autism ‘based on genetics’
Zimmerman says he prepared an expert witness statement. In it, he said the child’s autism was based on genetics rather than vaccine damage.
However, he says he told DOJ lawyers his view that “there were exceptions in which vaccinations could cause autism”.
He also accuses DOJ lawyers of giving a “highly misleading” account of his views in a later MMR hearing.
Zimmerman says they implied his “case specific” view of the Cedillo case applied to all children.
Despite his concerns, Zimmerman still “strongly” supports vaccines.
Autism Eye contacted the DOJ, Public Health England and MMR manufacturers Merck and GSK, but none responded.
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Published: 22 January 2019