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"A new report from the McCullough Foundation has claimed that vaccines are the main preventable cause of autism. Advertisment The report says it reviewed more than 300 studies and found vaccination to be the strongest risk factor among all known causes. This claim has caused a storm online, especially in India, after Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu shared the report and urged parents to take it seriously. McCullough Foundation Claims Vaccines Are the Top Autism Risk According to the foundation, its report is “the most complete analysis ever done” on autism causes. It lists several risk factors such as older parents, premature birth, genetic traits, environmental toxins, and maternal infections during pregnancy. But the report claims that vaccination stands out as the biggest preventable risk. Out of 136 studies on vaccines or their ingredients, the foundation says 107 found a link to autism, while 29 said there was none but didn"t include unvaccinated children as controls. The authors claim that 12 studies comparing vaccinated and unvaccinated groups found lower autism rates among unvaccinated children. The report also argues that multiple vaccines given close together may affect brain development and cause immune problems. Critics, however, note that many similar claims in the past have been reviewed and rejected by mainstream science. The World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control have repeatedly said there is no proven connection between vaccines and autism. Also Read: 'We do not need to work 5 days a week anymore": Zoom CEO Eric Yuan says AI will soon cut work to 3-4 days Sridhar Vembu"s Tweets Stir Public Health Debate Sridhar Vembu, co-founder of Zoho, shared the report on X (formerly Twitter) and wrote:“Parents should take this analysis seriously. I believe there is increasing evidence that we are giving way too many vaccines to very young children. This is spreading in India too and we are seeing a rapid increase in autism in India.” His post quickly drew strong criticism from several doctors. Public health expert Dr. P.V. Ramesh replied: “Thiru, I urge you to delete your post; you are being devastatingly reckless and pose a threat to public health. This is India with a high burden of vaccine-preventable communicable diseases” He further added “How could you cite a dodgy "western" source to make such a sweeping recommendation? Stop peddling dangerous propaganda. Stick to what you know. Please don"t venture into public health.” Mr. Vembu stood by his comments, responding:"I will not delete my post. I stand by what I said. The term "Dodgy western source" should be applied to FDA and CDC recommendations, by the way. Those institutions do not deserve blind faith. The brave doctors who are questioning the dogma are doing a valuable service. Science progresses only when we question dogma and what you are peddling is dogma, in the name of Science." The exchange went viral, with many users supporting vaccination programs while others echoed Vembu"s call for more open discussion. Also Read: Menswear brand Snitch launches 60-min delivery with "Snitch Quick" in Bengaluru after ₹340 crore funding round Experts Warn Against Spreading Vaccine Misinformation Medical experts across India have voiced concern that such claims could harm public trust in vaccines. Neonatologist Dr. Amit Gupta wrote: “This is utterly irresponsible. Luckily people don"t listen to folk like you, otherwise we would have an infectious disease crisis on our hands.” Global research so far shows no causal link between vaccines and autism. Large-scale studies in multiple countries have confirmed that autism is mainly linked to genetics and certain prenatal conditions, not immunization. Public health officials warn that misinformation can lead to reduced vaccination rates, which can bring back diseases like measles and polio. They urge parents to rely on verified scientific sources and consult qualified doctors before making decisions. Also Read: “India"s medical tourism is such an under-exploited goldmine,” says ex-Twitter MD after his wife"s $30000 surgery costed just $2000 in India"
