The Statement:Donald Trump during the 2nd GOP debate: "Just the other day, 2 years old, 2 and a half years old, a child, a beautiful child went to have the vaccine, and came back, and a week later got a tremendous fever, got very, very sick, now is autistic....autism has become epidemic."
The Facts:
In 1998 The Lancet published a paper by Andrew Wakefield that linked autism and the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine. After several other studies found Mr. Wakefield's conclusions false, the paper was retracted in 2010. One investigation by the British Medical Journal called Mr. Wakefield's paper an "elaborate fraud." The United Kingdom took away Mr. Wakefield's medical license.
The vaccines given today are the same vaccines my generation were required to receive before entering public schools, and all without an "epidemic" of autism. The uptick in the number of children being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders has nothing to do with vaccines and everything to do with improved diagnostic tools.
The image of an innocent 2-year-old being hurt makes for a good sound byte; but no family of Mr. Trump's 2-year-old child has come forward to support his claim.
M'eye Verdict:
Trump's "facts" are based on a exposed fraudulent story and his innocent-child-harmed story is as fake as his full head of hair.
The Donald earns Major Polluter status (5 out of 5 Gops)-- plus I'm adding a Bonus Gop for perpetuating a lie with the potential to actually cause harm:
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