Vaccine Autism Researcher Extradited to US for Trial

A Danish epidemiologist, who is a co-author on a widely cited paper that claims there is no association between the MMR vaccine and autism, has been extradited to the United States on fraud charges. Poul Thorsen was indicted in April 2011 on 13 counts of wire fraud and 9 counts of money laundering for diverting over $1 million from CDC grants into his personal bank accounts. 15 years later, Thorsen has now been extradited from Germany back to the United States to face a trial for these alleged crimes.

Thorsen was a co-author of the Madsen et al. (2002) study, which is frequently cited as evidence that vaccines don’t cause autism. Thorsen was also a co-author of a 2003 study evaluating a potential association between a common vaccine ingredient (thimerosal) and autism. These are often cited by immunologists, public health experts, and the media as strong evidence debunking any links between vaccines and autism.

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