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Major study shatters RFK Jr's wild claims about autism causes

Major study shatters RFK Jr's wild claims about autism causes

Daily Mail​17-07-2025
A major 20-year study of over one million children found no association between aluminum in vaccines and conditions like autism and ADHD.
Findings in the sweeping investigation provide a rebuttal to oft-debunked claims about the use of aluminum salts in vaccines, which bolster the body's immune response, and purported ties to asthma, autoimmune diseases, and autism.
DANISH researchers looked at 50 potential health effects in children taking a vaccine containing aluminum salts, including 36 immune system disorders like diabetes and celiac disease, nine allergy-related conditions, such as asthma and eczema, and five neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and ADHD.
They found no increased risk of autism, ADHD, asthma, or autoimmune disorders from the small amounts of aluminum in vaccines.
In fact, vaccinated children showed slightly lower rates of neurodevelopmental conditions – a seven percent lower autism risk and a 10 percent lower ADHD risk – with no connection to allergic or immune problems.
Aluminum adjuvants are safely used in several common childhood vaccines, including those protecting against diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTaP/Tdap), hepatitis A and B, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), and pneumococcal disease.
The aluminum in vaccines acts as a booster, strengthening the body's immune response to the vaccine. The salts create a temporary irritation at the injection site, which helps the immune system recognize and remember the germ, allowing it to build long-lasting protection.
During a June 2024 appearance on Joe Rogan's popular podcast, Kennedy falsely labeled aluminum as 'extremely neurotoxic,' mirroring the debunked rhetoric of the anti-vaccine group Children's Health Defense, which ties aluminum adjuvants to autism, contradicting decades of rigorous studies confirming vaccine safety.
Senior study author Dr Anders Hviid, an epidemiologist at the Statens Serum Institut in Denmark, said: 'By analyzing data from more than one million Danish children, we found absolutely no indication that the very small amount of aluminum used in the childhood vaccination program increases the risk of 50 different health outcomes during childhood.'
'This is the first study of this scale and with such comprehensive analyses, and it confirms the strong safety profile of the vaccines we've used for decades in Denmark.'
Since 1997, Denmark has offered, though not required, aluminum-containing vaccines for diseases including diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, and polio. Babies receive three doses by the age of one, with a booster dose at age five.
The study tracked aluminum exposure from these vaccines, which ranged from 0.125 mg to 1 mg per dose.
Using national health records, the team compared aluminum exposure levels to any of the 50 examined diagnoses between the ages of two and five. They accounted for factors like birth weight, family income and maternal health.
With data spanning 24 years and encompassing 1.2 million children, some of whom were followed until age eight, the research team utilized statistical models that controlled for real-world variables, including doctor visits and parental smoking.
'We should not be concerned about aluminum used as an adjuvant in childhood vaccines. I think that's the core message,' Dr Hviid told Stat.
The results were published this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
The latest study was in response to a 2022 CDC report that found a possible link between aluminum used as an adjuvant in vaccines and allergies and asthma in children.
Experts at the time pointed out limitations in CDC's methodology. It couldn't distinguish between aluminum from vaccines and environmental sources, such as food or air pollution.
They also highlighted puzzling inconsistencies, such as one subgroup of vaccinated children showing no increased risk of asthma despite higher exposure to aluminum.
Children are exposed to aluminum in various ways, separate from childhood vaccines.
In their first six months, babies get roughly four milligrams of aluminum from vaccines, a minuscule amount. A milligram is one-thousandth of a gram, and a gram is the weight of one-fifth of a teaspoon of water.
At the same time, breastfed infants ingest about 10 milligrams, formula-fed babies 40 milligrams and those on soy formula 120 milligrams.
Israeli immunologist Dr Yehuda Shoenfeld is the central figure in the debate over the safety of aluminum salts in vaccines through his proposed 2011 Autoimmune/Inflammatory Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants (ASIA) hypothesis.
His published work suggests aluminum-based vaccine adjuvants may trigger autoimmune responses in genetically susceptible individuals, forming the theoretical foundation for many concerns about the safety of common childhood shots.
However, while vaccine skeptics frequently cite Shoenfeld's papers and book on ASIA, the broader scientific community notes significant limitations.
His hypothesis relies primarily on case reports and lacks consistent epidemiological support. Large-scale population studies have failed to validate any causal link between aluminum adjuvants and autoimmune conditions.
The research comes as autism diagnoses have increased in the US to one in 31 children compared to one in 150 two decades ago.
While Kennedy claims this could be blamed on environmental toxins like food additives and pesticides, autism experts believe the increase is due to better diagnostic criteria and more awareness.
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Resident doctors' strike undermines union movement, Wes Streeting says
Resident doctors' strike undermines union movement, Wes Streeting says

The Guardian

timean hour ago

  • The Guardian

Resident doctors' strike undermines union movement, Wes Streeting says

A strike by resident doctors 'enormously undermines the entire trade union movement', Wes Streeting has argued, urging them not to join industrial action on Friday morning. In an article for the Guardian, the health secretary says the decision by the British Medical Association (BMA) to push for new strikes in England immediately after receiving a pay rise of 22% to cover 2023-24 and 2024-25 is unreasonable and unprecedented. Taking aim squarely at the leadership of the BMA, which represents the medics formerly known as junior doctors, Streeting condemns their demand for a fresh 29% rise over the next few years. He says that while there was 90% backing for the strike, it was on a turnout of just over 55% of members. Streeting says the move to strike after the offer of a 5.4% pay rise for 2025-26, was rushed into and is 'bitterly disappointing' amid efforts to improve NHS services. 'There was a deal here to be done,' he writes. 'Instead, the BMA leadership's decision to not even consider postponing these strikes will place an enormous burden on their colleagues, and hit the recovery we can all see our health service is making. 'Not only that, it enormously undermines the entire trade union movement. No trade union in British history has seen its members receive a such a steep pay rise only to immediately respond with strikes – even when a majority of their members didn't even vote to strike. This action is unprecedented, and it is unreasonable.' The BMA argues that resident doctors have seen their pay fall by a much greater amount in real terms since 2008-09 than the rest of the population. 'Doctors are not worth less than they were 17 years ago, when austerity policies began driving wages down. We're simply asking for that value to be restored,' it said. Streeting says resident doctors have privately contacted him to express their dismay at the decision to strike, saying they 'feel the BMA's leaders are out of lockstep with not just patients but most resident doctors themselves'. The health secretary urges doctors to defy their union and not join in the strike, which runs until 7am next Wednesday. 'I am urging resident doctors to not follow the BMA leadership, who I do not believe are representing the best interests of their members, any further down this path as strikes begin on Friday at 7am,' he writes. The public have been urged to keep coming forward for NHS care during the strike, and NHS England has urged hospital chief executives to keep routine operations and appointments and only reschedule if there is a risk to patient safety. A Department of Health and Social Care blog noted that the NHS was 'taking a different approach' after learning lessons from previous strikes, and would avoid cancelling planned appointments for illnesses such as cancer because this posed 'a risk to patients too'. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion On Wednesday, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges urged the BMA to suspend its guidance to resident doctors that they do not have to share their intentions to strike with their employers – as is their entitlement under employment law – to enable hospitals to better plan. It is understood that in previous strikes, healthcare leaders filled rota gaps of unknown size by overstaffing and cancelling procedures, with the result that there was insufficient work for some highly paid consultants. Fewer resident doctors are expected to go on strike on Friday than in the previous round of industrial action that started in 2023 after the BMA achieved a smaller mandate in the strike ballot. Of 48,000 members, 55% voted, of whom 90% supported industrial action – representing less than half of members – compared with a turnout of 71.25% in 2023, of whom 43,440 (or 98.37%) voted to go on strike. The numbers of striking doctors is expected to vary between hospitals and trusts, with anticipated staff rota gaps filled locally by consultants, agency doctors and other NHS staff. Hospital leaders will monitor demand and if they are overwhelmed with patients they will have contingency plans in place, for example cancelling some appointments to prioritise urgent and emergency care, calling in extra bank or agency staff, or requesting derogations – where resident doctors are called in to work – with the BMA. The Health Service Journal (HSJ) reported that the NHS England chief, Sir Jim Mackey, had told trust leaders to crack down on resident doctors' ability to earn money during the strike by working locum shifts.

Expert warns not to use these two cleansing bestsellers after a lash lift
Expert warns not to use these two cleansing bestsellers after a lash lift

The Independent

time2 hours ago

  • The Independent

Expert warns not to use these two cleansing bestsellers after a lash lift

Nothing quite compares to the feeling of a fresh lash lift. You look (and feel) bright eyed, and your make-up appears half way there before you've even had your morning coffee. Typically, a lash lift will last between six and eight weeks but, something you might not know, is that every product you apply – from your cleanser to your mascara – has an effect on its longevity. If you've never had a lash lift – also known as LVL (length, volume and lift) – the process involves pushing the eyelashes up and around a silicone shield before applying a lifting balm which breaks down the structure of the hair. After this, a fixing solution is used to set the lashes and, often, a tint is also applied for a bolder finish. The full treatment usually takes an hour and, when you've expended that much time and money (anywhere from £30 to £100), you want to make the most of it. So I spoke to expert lash artist, Emmy Clayton, to discover how we can use our skincare and make-up to ensure a resilient and long-lasting lift and curl. Meet the expert Emmy Clayton, also known as Emmy Creates, is a lash and brow artist with 14 years of experience. Trained by Aussie lash and brow brand Elleebana, she now trains new artists and has worked on behind-the-scenes glam for numerous beauty campaigns, such as YSL and L'Oréal Paris. Not to mention she has a long list of celebrity clientele, including Made in Chelsea 's Sophie Habboo and Lottie Moss. Cleansers to avoid after a lash lift According to Clayton, the key to mastering proper lash care is to think of it like hair. 'Conditioner is great, but too much weighs it down,' she explains. This means that certain oil-rich formulas can accelerate the speed at which your lifted curl begins to relax, especially when combined with additional elements like steam and heat. With this in mind, Clayton tells us which cleansers she might avoid post-lift, plus the ones she loves for a safe lash wash and scrub-free eye make-up removal. While Clayton sings the praises of the cult Elemis pro-collagen cleansing balm (£49, for non-lifted lashes, complimenting how it 'leaves the skin feeling nourished', she advises that regular use around the eye area can gradually soften the curl of treated lashes, because of the balm's elderberry and starflower oils. Similarly, while the Body Shop's camomile sumptuous make-up cleansing butter (£13, is 'seriously effective', Clayon suggests steering clear with lifted lashes given how it's 'rich in shea butter and multiple plant oils'. It's worth noting that oils aren't inherently bad for the lashes, but continuous use of them can be. As Clayton puts it, the use of oils in our skincare routine (think: thick eye creams and, as above, cleansing balms) won't prompt a full lash lift reversal, but rather a gradual curl drop. The specific culprits? 'Excessive amounts of heavy oils like castor or coconut, combined with heat or steam,' she says. Lash lift-suitable cleansers Thankfully, with the beauty industry growing exponentially, there are plenty of alternatives to suit every skin type and budget. Clayton hails the Glossier milky oil dual-phase waterproof make-up remover (£18, as her go-to, as it 'removes eye make-up (even waterproof mascara) without the need for rubbing or soaking the lashes in heavy oil'. If you're looking for something more affordable, she also recommends the L'Oréal Paris eye and lip express make-up remover (£5.30, Clayton applauds how 'it doesn't leave behind a thick oily residue, making it a great everyday option post-lash lift'. Lastly, Vichy's purete thermale waterproof eye make-up remover (£6.96, is a great option if you suffer sensitivity around the eyes or wear contacts, as it uses conditioning arginine and thermal spring water to keep things effective yet irritation-free. 'It's loved for its lightweight feel and is a reliable post-lift option that doesn't compromise results,' Clayton says. Why has my lash lift gone wrong? It's not just cleansers that can effect your lash lift results. if you've ever suffered crumpled or kinked lashes just a few days or weeks after your treatment, 'it likely comes down to how the treatment was done,' claims Clayton. She lists four factors at play here: Shield size: 'A common reason for lashes bending during grow-out is when your tech uses a shield that's too small to create a super-dramatic curl,' says Clayton. While she acknowledges the initial appeal of this method, she adds that 'most lashes grow pretty straight, so when new growth comes in, it doesn't tend to follow the exaggerated 90-degree angle of the fresh lift, leading to that 'L-shaped' kink or bend where the natural growth meets the lifted lash.' Lash length and thickness: A consequence of natural hair growth cycles and one that's outside your lash tech's control, Clayton explains that not all lashes are the same length or thickness, as some are baby lashes that haven't fully grown out. 'If those get caught up and lifted with the longer ones they can sometimes crumple or curl unevenly as they grow out,' she explains. Lash mapping: 'Every lash map I do is tailored, not just for the lift, but for the best grow-out possible,' states Clayton. Lash mapping refers to the customising of shields, and the placement of the lashes and lifting/fixing solutions. Elaborating on this, Clayton recommends asking your lash artist if they have multiple shield styles. 'When it's done right, your lift should grow out soft and seamless, not spiky or kinked,' she says. Damage prevention: The first 48 hours following a lash lift are crucial. With this in mind, Clayton flags that 'sleeping face-down can crumple or bend your lashes.' Her solution? Switching to a silk pillowcase and using a 3D contoured sleep mask. Specifically, she recommends Drowsy's silk pillowcase (£59, and lash cocoon eye mask (£79, What mascara can you use with a lash lift? If everything from your cleanser to your pillowcase can effect the longevity of a lash lift, then a mascara – which gets in-between and all around the lashes – undoubtedly has a part to play. For many people, getting a lash lift and tint bypasses the need for mascara. However, if you like to keep your eye make-up dramatic, you'll be pleased to know there are plenty of LVL-approved options. 'This mascara is my number one obsession,' confesses Clayton, referring to Glossier's lash slick lift and lengthening mascara (£20, 'I love the brush, I love the finish and it just works perfectly with a lash lift as there's no clumping, no heaviness, and it removes so easily without compromising the curl.' Alternatively, Victoria Beckham's future lash (£32, is another great option that's been designed with lash health in mind. Clayton likes how it uses panthenol to strengthen and 'removes cleanly with just warm water.' No risk of dragging or lash fall-out. What mascara should you avoid? When it comes to which mascaras to avoid after having a lash lift, their compatibility will largely depend on how easy they are to remove. While Too Faced's better than sex mascara (£28, is a great pick if you're after volume and impact, Clayton says it can be 'a bit too much for lifted lashes'. 'The formula is quite thick and tends to clump, which can take away from that clean, defined curl,' she explains. 'It also has a tendency to flake and needs a good bit of effort to remove, which isn't ideal post-lift.' Similarly, Clayton loves Benefit's they're real! lengthening mascara (£27, on natural lashes owing to its intense staying power but it's one she recommends avoiding if you've recently had an LVL. 'It's a bit of a mission to remove,' she says 'which often means more rubbing than you'd like'.

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