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Sanders Challenges Vaccine-Autism Link Amid Trust Crisis

2/4/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Senator Bernie Sanders questioned Dr. Bhattacharya about Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s belief linking vaccines to autism.
Sanders highlighted the conflict with the American Medical Association's assertion that vaccines do not cause autism.
He cited a 2024 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association on public trust.
Dr. Bhattacharya noted that only about 40 percent of patients still trust their doctors, a statistic he called shocking.

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Story summary

Senator Bernie Sanders questioned Dr. Bhattacharya about Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s belief linking vaccines to autism.
Sanders highlighted the conflict with the American Medical Association's assertion that vaccines do not cause autism.
He cited a 2024 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association on public trust.
Dr. Bhattacharya noted that only about 40 percent of patients still trust their doctors, a statistic he called shocking.