US health secretary Kennedy guts vaccine advisory committee
Robert F Kennedy Jr
has fired all 17 members of a panel of vaccine experts and is in the process of replacing them, his department said on Monday, drawing protest from many scientists.
The move is the most far-reaching in a series of actions by Mr Kennedy, a long-time vaccine sceptic, to reshape US regulation of vaccines, food and medicine.
Scientists and experts said the changes to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention vaccine advisory panel, which recommends how vaccines are used and by whom, would undermine public confidence in health agencies.
Mr Kennedy promised the move would raise public confidence.
READ MORE
'Today we are prioritising the restoration of public trust above any specific pro- or anti-vaccine agenda,' he said in a statement.
Mr Kennedy has for years sowed doubt about the safety and efficacy of vaccines, but he pledged to maintain the country's existing vaccine standards to secure his appointment in US president
Donald Trump's
administration.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is overseen by his department, has approved a number of vaccines during his tenure despite concerns over his stances. Even so, at least one senior Republican member of Congress expressed doubts about the changes in the panel.
Mr Kennedy said the advisory panel is rife with conflicts and has never turned down a vaccine, even though the decision to approve vaccines rests with the FDA.
'That's a tragedy,' said former FDA chief scientist Jesse Goodman. 'This is a highly professional group of scientists and physicians and others ... It's the kind of political meddling that will reduce confidence rather than increase confidence.'
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America called Mr Kennedy's action concerning for public health.
'Upending the [panel's] membership increases uncertainty and vaccine scepticism, undermining the health gains achieved through vaccination,' the industry body said in a statement.
Shares of vaccine makers Moderna and BioNTech fell more than 1 per cent, while Pfizer was down marginally in extended trading on Monday.
Mr Kennedy said most panel members receive funding from drug companies, although members are required to declare any potential or perceived conflicts of interest that arise in the course of their tenure and any relevant business interests, positions of authority or other connections with organisations relevant to the committee's work.
Mr Kennedy provided no specific evidence of industry conflicts of interest among departing panel members.
All 17 panel members were appointed under former president Joe Biden's administration, including 13 in 2024. Without their removal, the Trump administration would not have been able to choose a majority of the committee until 2028. – Reuters
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The Irish Sun
10 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
The truth behind a dramatic rise in autism – and why it could be catastrophic, says Dr Rebecca Ker
IF you've spent any time on social media, you'll likely have come across videos titled 'the signs you're autistic' and 'why autism is to blame' for any number of behaviours or personality traits. This content has become so prolific it's pushed thousands of people to seek an official diagnosis. But is autism really becoming more common, and if so, is TikTok the only factor Advertisement 3 Dr Rebecca Ker, a psychologist who specialises in neurodivergent people and their families, reveals why the rise in autism diagnoses could be catastrophic Credit: Dr Rebecca Ker About 700,000 people in the UK are thought to have But influencers might have you assuming that number is far higher. There are now 3.2million posts about autism on TikTok alone. Many of these are inaccurate, but it is true that diagnoses are on the rise. Advertisement Rates are up 787 per cent in England from 1998 to 2018, and experts warn the NHS is 'overwhelmed' by the influx. Here, Dr Rebecca Ker, a psychologist registered with the Health and Care Professions Council and co-founder of EARLIER this year, US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr promised a 'massive' research effort involving hundreds of scientists to get to the bottom of what he calls an autism 'epidemic'. Yet after more than 15 years working with autistic children, adults and families, the only epidemic I can see is one of fear-mongering and stigma. We've not suddenly 'caught' Advertisement Yes, autism rates have increased hugely - by 787 per cent in England over the past 20 years. Simple 10-question test that can help determine if you have autism When autism was first discussed in the 1940s, it was thought to affect one in every 2,500 people. Today, research suggests it could be more like one in 30. The reality is, that rise is down to our greater awareness and understanding of the condition and a broadening of the diagnostic criteria we use to define it. For starters, we're better at realising the nuances and subtleties of the condition and the That greater understanding has also been informed by the autistic community themselves. Advertisement There are some brilliant brains out there, advocating, educating, and finally being heard in a way they never were in the 1950s. We meet lots of parents bringing their children to clinics who are beginning to realise they might be autistic too. Often they grew up with a very different understanding of what autism is. THE NEW DEFINITION Secondly, when the DSM-5 - the guidebook psychologists use to classify conditions - was updated in 2013, it removed Autism spectrum disorder is currently defined as 'persistent difficulties with social communication, social interaction, restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviour (including sensory difficulties), and it has to be present from early childhood to the extent that these limit and impair everyday functioning'. Advertisement The criteria is broad. For example 'restrictive and repetitive behaviours' could look like lots of things, from rocking, hand-flapping and skin-picking to sticking to a strict routine or eating the same food every evening. For one person, difficulties with social communication might look like difficulties with picking up on the social cues of the person they are speaking to. For another person, it might mean being completely non-verbal. Autistic minds often thrive on sameness, predictability and routine. They have a real need for sameness. But here's the problem. While understanding has moved on, support systems are struggling to keep up. The latest NHS England figures, covering the period ending March 2025, show the number of patients waiting at least three months for an initial specialist appointment has jumped by more than a quarter since last year. That figure has also tripled since 2021. Advertisement In total, nearly 124,000 under-18s are on the waiting list for over three months - almost 30,000 more than the year before. 3 The diagnostic guidelines for autism have changed Credit: Getty NHS guidelines say patients should be seen within 13 weeks. But nine in 10 wait much longer. And those who did get assessed last year? They'd already been waiting, on average, a year and a half. And a diagnosis is often just the start… it doesn't automatically unlock the necessary support. Advertisement In my experience in Surrey, it's not unusual for children to wait years. That's years of growing up without support and without understanding. Changing schools. Falling behind. Developing And it's not just children. Last year, the Oxfordshire Adult Autism Diagnostic and Support Service stopped taking new referrals altogether. Adults being referred at that time were told they'd have to wait 18 years. If you're one of those families stuck on a waiting list, it can feel impossible. You're worried, your child is struggling, and you're being told to just wait and keep waiting. But even without a diagnosis, there is support out there. Please don't let schools tell you everything's fine just because your child is quiet or well-behaved there. Masking is real and it's exhausting. The children who cope at school often fall apart at home Dr Rebecca Ker While many end up seeking support privately, there are national charities and helplines available too. Advertisement Families need faster access to specialists to provide clarity, tools, and reassurance. Someone who understands neurodivergence can help you notice patterns, validate your concerns, and work with you on practical steps that reduce If you are concerned that your child is autistic, keep a journal of behaviours that concern you. Record exactly what triggers meltdowns, how you have noticed your child differs from their peers, how they respond to change, what their social interactions look like. Be as specific as you can. Advertisement Take that evidence to your child's teacher or SENCO. Ask for support plans, even without a diagnosis. Speak to your GP, or if your child's under five, your health visitor. The key characteristics of autism - and why they go unnoticed By Alice Fuller, Health Features Editor MODEL Christine McGuinness was a 'recluse' for eight years and only left the house at 3am. Springwatch presenter And recently, But what exactly is autism and why does it seem so different in everyone? Leanne Cooper-Brown, neurodevelopmental lead at 'Whereas we used to think of autism as a linear line, we have come to realise that terms such as 'high' and 'low' functioning or definitions of 'mild', 'moderate' or 'severe' aren't helpful and can be misleading. 'Nowadays, we think of autism in terms of the strengths and needs of the individual, which can change over time depending on their environment and support network.' About 700,000 people in the UK are thought to have autism - that's one in 100. But research by University College London suggests that number could be twice as high, as many people remain undiagnosed. Cases are on the rise though. Figures released last year showed a 175 per cent increase from 2011 to 2022. Dr Selina Warlow, clinical psychologist and owner of 'Receiving a diagnosis can open access to expert resources that support autistic people to thrive in society.' Autism has long been associated with social difficulties, like problems maintaining conversations and forming relationships . But research published in the journal Cell Press suggested that repetitive behaviours - like rocking or finger-flicking - and special interests - whether it's TV shows or specific animals - are more indicative of an autism diagnosis. Generally though, experts say the Sensitivity - autistic people can be much more or less sensitive to sights, sounds, textures, tastes and smells. For example, they find bright lights or crowded spaces overwhelming, Leanne says. They may also stand too close to others or need to move their whole body to look at something. Stimming - to manage this sensory overload, some people use repetitive movements or sounds. 'This is called stimming, and includes rocking, tapping and hand-flapping,' Dr Warlow says. 'Though it's something everyone does to some extent, those with autism are likely to engage with it as a form of self-regulation.' Masking - this is a strategy used by some autistic people, consciously or not, to match neurotypical people, Dr Warlow says. 'It's a way of hiding your true characteristics, and could involve copying facial expressions, planning conversations in advance, or holding in 'stimming' - swapping hand clapping with playing with a pen, for example,' she adds. Burnout - this is a state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion and is a common feature in autism. 'Being extremely tired, both mentally and physically, can be associated with the act of masking for a long period of time, or sensory or social overload,' Dr Warlow says. 'Symptoms of autistic burnout include social withdrawal, reduced performance and increased sensitivity.' Social struggles - socialising can be confusing or tiring for autistic people. They often find it hard to understand what others are thinking or feeling, making it challenging to make friends. Leanne says: 'In adults, autism may present as difficulties with interpreting social cues such as understanding body language or sarcasm, struggling to express emotions or preferring to be alone. This can impact relationships and work.' Routine - many of us have a fairly regular daily schedule. But for autistic people, this becomes a 'very strong preference for routine', Leanne says. This could be needing a daily timetable to know what is going to happen and when, or having rigid preferences about foods or clothing. Literal thinking - some autistic people have a literal view of language - like believing it's actually 'raining cats and dogs' or that someone really wants you to 'break a leg'. Dr Warlow says: 'This can result in confusion with figures of speech, irony or indirect requests. 'For instance, being told to 'pull your socks up' might be understood literally, not as a motivational phrase.' Hyperfocus - often associated with ADHD, hyperfocusing is also common in autistic people. 'It's where you're able to focus intensely on an activity and become absorbed to the point of forgetting about time,' Dr Warlow says. 'This is useful in work or hobbies but can result in neglect of other aspects of life, such as food or rest.' Special interests - we all have hobbies and interests, but for autistic people, these are so compelling they often want to spend all their time learning about, thinking about or doing them. 'Special interests could include anything from dinosaurs to superheroes, and gardening to music,' Dr Warlow says. 'These usually begin in childhood, but can also form as an adult. 'Chris Packham is an example of an autistic person who turned his childhood special interest in animals into a successful career, becoming one of the UK's best-loved natural world TV presenters.' Please don't let schools tell you everything's fine just because your child is quiet or well-behaved there. Masking is real and it's exhausting. The children who cope at school often fall apart at home. If you can afford to explore a private assessment, be cautious. Advertisement There are brilliant services out there, but it can be overwhelming choosing a private provider that is offering the best quality in terms of assessment. A good autism assessment is a lot of work. It should involve a multidisciplinary team - not one person sitting with your child for half an hour. The specialists should be Health and Care Professions Council registered. The process should follow National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines. They should draw information from different contexts (observing your child themselves, talking to school, interviewing parents) and produce a detailed report that can stand up when you need it - for school support, Education, Health and Care Plans, or future care. 3 Dr Ker says parents are 'too often dismissed' when they raise concerns about their children Credit: Getty Advertisement Let's stop talking about trying to 'reduce' autism. That's not the goal. Instead, we need to be building a more accessible world, where people can say: 'I'm neurodivergent. I am more comfortable doing it this way.' That means changing how we run our education system and services. Just as we build wheelchair ramps, and would view a lack of ramps to be unacceptable, we should be building sensory-friendly classrooms, alternative timetables, and flexible expectations. We need to train teachers to understand neurodivergent minds. Advertisement We need to provide the funding for more capable systems that can enable all types of brains to reach their potential. Too often, quiet girls or rule-following boys are told they're 'fine' while they suffer silently. Too often, parents are dismissed as 'overly anxious'. But often there are signs - a child who is exhausted after school, struggles with transitions, is inflexible in their play, feels different or confused by peers, complains the dining hall is too loud or smelly to be able to eat. The 10-question autism test TO get an official autism diagnosis, you need to be assessed by a healthcare professional. But if you think your or your child might have the condition, there is a simple quiz called the AQ-10 that you can use to help support your suspicions. The Instead, it is used to screen people who might be. A version for children is also available. For adults For each question, write down if you 'Definitely Agree', 'Slightly Agree', 'Slightly Disagree' or 'Definitely Agree'. I often notice small sounds when others do not I usually concentrate more on the whole picture, rather than the small details I find it easy to do more than one thing at once If there is an interruption, I can switch back to what I was doing very quickly I find it easy to 'read between the lines' when someone is talking to me I know how to tell if someone listening to me is getting bored When I'm reading a story I find it difficult to work out the characters' intentions I like to collect information about categories of things (e.g. types of car, types of bird, types of train, types of plant etc) I find it easy to work out what someone is thinking or feeling just by looking at their face I find it difficult to work out people's intentions Score 1 point for 'Definitely Agree' or 'Slightly Agree' on each of items 1, 7, 8, and 10. Score 1 point for 'Definitely Disagree' or 'Slightly Disagree' on each of items 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 9. If you score more than 6 out of 10, a healthcare professional will consider referring you for a specialist diagnostic assessment. For children For each question, write down if you 'Definitely Agree', 'Slightly Agree', 'Slightly Disagree' or 'Definitely Agree'. S/he often notices small sounds when others do not S/he usually concentrates more on the whole picture, rather than the small details In a social group, s/he can easily keep track of several different people's conversations S/he finds it easy to go back and forth between different activities S/he doesn't know how to keep a conversation going with his/her peers S/he is good at social chit-chat When s/he is read a story, s/he finds it difficult to work out the character's intentions or feelings When s/he was in preschool, s/he used to enjoy playing games involving pretending with other children S/he finds it easy to work out what someone is thinking or feeling just by looking at their face S/he finds it hard to make new friends Only 1 point can be scored for each question. Score 1 point for 'Definitely Agree' or 'Slightly Agree' on each of items 1, 5, 7 and 10. Score 1 point for 'Definitely Disagree' or 'Slightly Disagree' on each of items 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 9. If the individual scores more than 6 out of 10, they will be considered for a specialist diagnostic assessment. None of these on their own mean a child is autistic, but we should be sensitive to the clues. Advertisement With adults, the process is more complex. You don't always have parents to describe childhood behaviours. But what we see again and again is this: they've been masking their whole lives. They've been told they're too much, too blunt, too rude. They've often experienced long term difficulties with their mental health or been misdiagnosed with personality disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders and so on. Difficulties with mental ill-health are more prevalent in autistic people. These are all signs that it is hard to be autistic in a world that is geared up for neurotypical people. They've made it through work or university by sheer effort - but at a cost. Advertisement And often, the moment they receive that diagnosis? It's a relief. At last, something makes sense. 'Not everyone is neurodivergent, but everyone is neurodiverse' So yes, autism is a difference. But it's a difference we've punished, misunderstood and ignored for far too long. The DSM-5 still calls it a disorder. But many autistic people find this term offensive and prefer the word 'difference' or 'condition'. And I agree. It isn't an illness. And there are many strengths associated with autism too. We all have different brains. Neurodiversity is a natural part of human variation - just like height or handedness. Advertisement Not everyone is neurodivergent, but everyone is neurodiverse. So when Kennedy Jr says autism is worse than Covid, he isn't just wrong - he's dangerous. His words fuel a climate of panic, shame and disinformation. And for what? To blame vaccines? To stir controversy? There's no medical basis for that claim. But what there is is a growing body of knowledge. Of compassion. And of people - autistic people - finally being seen, heard, and supported.
Irish Times
10 hours ago
- Irish Times
Deep House: The Gayest Love Story Ever Told by Jeremy Atherton Lin – How bigotry was moved off the statute books
Deep House: The Gayest Love Story Ever Told Author : Jeremy Atherton Lin ISBN-13 : 9780241629789 Publisher : Allen Lane Guideline Price : £25 Ten years ago, the Marriage Equality Act, giving same-sex couples the right to marry, was approved by a majority of Irish voters. The relative ease with which the referendum passed lies in stark contrast to Jeremy Atherton Lin's experience in the US during the mid 1990s, when president Bill Clinton signed the Defence of Marriage Act under cover of night, banning federal recognition of same-sex marriage. (It was repealed by Joe Biden in 2022.) The evolution of gay rights in the US is interspersed with the story of his own early love affair. As a young man visiting London, he encounters a local boy and, despite having planned on spending his twenties 'f**king his way around Europe', he's smitten. Geography, however, gets in the way, when he returns home and visa issues keep his boyfriend in England. Atherton Lin won the National Book Critics Circle award for Gay Bar: Why We Went Out and there's more than enough here to show his skill as a writer. Describing a transatlantic phone call with his lover, he recalls the line being 'somehow damp and dark, as if you were phoning from a Mike Leigh film', and he draws cautious parallels between the rights of same-sex couples to marry in America with the struggle for interracial marriage in the landmark case of Loving v. Virginia (1967), saying that 'it's worth noting that marriage has never been something available to everybody except gays'. Closer to home, there are interesting political references too, such as an account of Margaret Thatcher's 1987 Conservative Party Conference speech, where she stated that children who were being taught that it was all right to be gay were being 'cheated of a sound start in life'. What makes Deep House so engaging, however, is how its author avoids outrage while recounting past injustices. Instead, knowing that the argument has already been won, both morally and legally, he seems baffled that anyone ever cared who married whom in the first place. When future generations look back and wonder what all the fuss was about, books such as this will illuminate their understanding of a time when bigotry was not only encouraged, but on the statute books.
Irish Times
12 hours ago
- Irish Times
Scientific consensus is not a fruitful concept
The term scientific consensus – as in 'there is a scientific consensus on climate change' – is often used to characterise a matter considered to be scientifically settled. But the concept of consensus is poorly suited to science, where conclusions must always remain provisional and revisable in the light of new evidence. The concept of 'convergence' better describes the nature of the scientific enterprise. Convergence means we can begin to have confidence that science is accurately/truly describing a phenomenon when the evidence from many and diverse approaches all point to the same explanation. The relative merits of the concepts of consensus and convergence were discussed recently in a recent editorial in Science , and elaborated by Chuck Dinerstein in The American Council for Science and Health . The value of the convergence concept is illustrated by the history of the MMR vaccine and the claims that this vaccine causes autism. There is a huge amount of evidence from very many lines of investigation that MMR vaccines do not cause autism – in other words, there is extremely strong scientific convergence pointing to this conclusion. READ MORE Nevertheless, US secretary for health Robert Fitzgerald Kennedy jnr does not accept this conclusion, and has asked the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to conduct a new study to demonstrate cases where MMR vaccination does cause autism. [ The global fight for science in the face of Trump's attacks Opens in new window ] Given the strength of evidence to date, it seems highly improbable the CDC will demonstrate any link between MMR and autism. Even if it does produce some evidence, the fact remains that innumerable past studies have found no link. A single contrary indication would not destroy the existing convergence of evidence, which will remain even if a single or a few exceptions come to light. If exceptions do emerge, the onus will be on proponents of the MMR/autism link to explain why scientific convergence so overwhelmingly indicates the opposite conclusion. And, of course, those who now argue for a link between MMR and autism, in the absence of evidence to date to support their claim, would seize on a single apparent demonstration of a link in some cases as a demonstration that 'scientific consensus' is broken, and they would be emboldened to greatly intensify their campaign against vaccination. In other words, as far as the evidence goes they would have the tail wag the dog and would certainly sow great confusion and persuade many parents not to vaccinate their children, with disastrous consequences. Creative people who are not completely shackled by existing paradigms are very important when science consistently struggles over a long period to make further progress in explaining a situation On the other hand, the convergence concept would not lend itself to any such easy manipulation. A single contrary demonstration, albeit interesting and demanding further investigation, would remain a single demonstration to confront innumerable published demonstrations to the contrary. Another weakness of the consensus concept is that it can be used to bully scientists who dissent from majority opinion. This can be done by refusing monetary support to fund the researches of scientists who question the consensus position. I would imagine that the minority of climate scientists currently seeking support to study potential natural explanations of global warming unrelated to greenhouse gas emissions are finding it very hard to win funding from grant-awarding bodies dominated by scientists hostile to any questioning of the conventional 'consensus'. [ Political correctness now a bullying tactic aimed at stifling legitimate debate Opens in new window ] Creative people who are not completely shackled by existing paradigms are very important when science consistently struggles over a long period to make further progress in explaining a situation. 'Thinking outside the box' may be the only way forward to full explanations in these cases. For example, research on Alzheimer's disease has heavily concentrated on amyloid plaques for a long time now, but has produced little progress in fully accounting for the disease. The problem calls for creative, not consensus, thinking. The strong majority position in science can sometimes be wrong and hostile to new opinions. For example, when the idea was first mooted that Earth's crust is divided into large fragments that 'float' on an underlying partly melted layer and that whole continents, once residing close together, gradually moved apart until widely separated (plate tectonics), it was widely resisted by geologists among whom a consensus to the contrary existed. It took many years for this intercontinental drift and plate tectonics model to become established, as the evidence in its favour gradually accumulated and neatly explained very many observations – in other words, as scientific convergence emerged. William Reville is an emeritus professor at UCC
