An online firestorm erupts after a family physician posted an article about preservatives and adjuvants present in the influenza vaccine contributing to the epidemic.
On Friday, January 6th, Daniel Neides, a family physician and medical director of the Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Institute posted an article on the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s official website about harmful side effects of the influenza vaccine. He claimed that the preservatives and adjuvants present in the vaccine may be contributing to a rise in the chronic disease epidemic and autism. Even though he backed off his allegations, the physician still faces disciplinary actions.
According to the institution, the article was posted without authorization. Furthermore, a spokeswoman for the Wellness Institute said that actions will be taken against Dr. Neides, but she did not specify exactly what those would be or when will it happen. Nevertheless, even though the clinic did not make Daniel Niedes available for comment, the institution issued a statement on his behalf.
In the statement, Dr. Niedes expresses his concern in regard to the public’s confusion brought by his allegations and apologizes both to the public, as well as to the medical community. He then added that the piece was only meant to express his concerns in a positive manner around the safety of influenza vaccines.
Apparently, Dr. Niedes wrote the column after he allegedly took ill upon receiving the influenza vaccine. He also added that along with the preservatives present in the vaccines, a “toxic burden” was at fault for the magnitude of the chronic disease epidemic in the U.S. His concerns were particularly addressed to young children, claiming their detoxification as well as immune systems are being over-burdened with adjuvants and preservatives in the vaccine.
Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Institute had distanced itself from Dr. Niedes by January 8th in response to his allegations, arguing that untruths and myths with devastating effect on the population in regard to the influenza vaccine have been debunked in rigorous ways along the years.
“We completely support vaccinations to protect people, especially children who are particularly vulnerable”, reads the institution’s statement.
As Dr. Niedes posted his statement without authorization, the institution says his thoughts do not represent the clinic’s position on vaccination. Furthermore, multiple health officials criticized the physician’s actions, saying he embraced what some refer to as nonevidence-based medicine.
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