This story began over a decade ago when a well-known scientist was accused of stealing more than 1 million USD allocated for autism research. But recently it resurfaced as Dr. Poul Thorsen finally admitted his guilt. This attracted the attention of Lithuanian internet users as well.
Also read: “Found” evidence of a link between autism and COVID-19 vaccines in a study that does not mention it
“Another fierce believer in political science authority arrested, accused of fraud and large-scale theft,” – on August 25, a “Facebook” user reported to friends and 2.8 thousand followers.
Available data shows that a house was purchased in Atlanta, cars “Audi” and “Honda”, and a “Harley Davidson” motorcycle.
He immediately explained: “The great Danish researcher in fakes, American Dane Dr. Poul Thorsen, whose scientific conclusions denying the vaccine link to childhood autism underpin the official CDC policy, will probably finally plead guilty on September 1 for fifteen years of scientific journal fraud and squandering over a million dollars allocated for research on personal entertainment (quote unedited – editor’s note).”
On September 3, another “Facebook” user reported the fact that “Thorsen just pleaded guilty to electronic fraud, stealing more than 1,000,000 USD from CDC grant funds.”
He shared a short clip from the podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience”, which discussed P. Thorsen’s arrest. This podcast has been created since 2009 by American Joseph Rogan, a comedian, actor, former TV host, and mixed martial arts commentator. In his shows, he has repeatedly spread misleading information, for example about COVID-19 vaccines.
“The man who wrote the often-cited study claiming vaccines do not cause autism was just arrested for fraud,” – the user translated the host’s words.
He explained that this concerns “Danish epidemiologist P. Thorsen, who is one of the authors of the article ‘Madsen et al.’, published in the NEJM journal on November 7, 2002. It examined 537,303 children and stated that there is ‘strong evidence refuting the hypothesis that MMR vaccination causes autism’.”
“Contrary to Thorsen’s claims, Dr. Peter McCullough’s team from the McCullough Foundation reviewed 136 vaccine studies related to autism spectrum disorder factors.
29 studies yielded neutral results, while 107 allowed conclusions about a possible link. The study’s conclusion: ‘Combined and early routine childhood vaccination is the most important modifiable risk factor for autism spectrum disorder (ASD),’” the “Facebook” user stated.
The mentioned P. McCullough has repeatedly spread misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines and has been repeatedly criticized by the medical and scientific community.
Also read: Internet users claim to have “discovered” studies confirming vaccine harm: what is the truth?
P. Thorsen’s arrest and admission of embezzling a huge sum do not prove that vaccines cause autism or that the conducted studies were falsified. Autism is a neurological disorder whose exact causes are still unknown, only known to be multifactorial.
Fooled the University
As early as spring 2010, it became clear that Danish police were investigating possible fraud related to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grants for research funding in Denmark.
Immediately, doubts arose about the reliability of the conducted research and vaccine science in general. The epidemiologist was the sixth author of the aforementioned 2002 study published in the “New England Journal of Medicine.”
He avoided arrest and became one of the most wanted fugitives by the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
P. Thorsen was also the fourth author of a 2003 article published in the journal “Pediatrics.” It concluded: “After discontinuing the use of vaccines containing thimerosal in Denmark in 1992, autism cases increased. Our ecological data do not support a correlation between vaccines containing thimerosal and autism cases.”
In 2011, the scientist was accused of 13 counts of electronic fraud and 9 counts of money laundering. P. Thorsen’s whereabouts were unknown, but the US prosecution requested his extradition to Denmark to face charges.
At that time, it was reported that each count of electronic fraud could carry up to 20 years in prison, and each count of money laundering half that sentence.
Also read: Why autism cases are increasing: vaccines, as internet users say, or other reasons?
According to US prosecutor Theodore S. Hertzberg, from 2000 to 2009, the CDC Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities Branch allocated more than 11 million dollars to two Danish government agencies. They were to investigate the link between autism and vaccine effects, between cerebral palsy and infection during pregnancy, and between child development and fetal alcohol exposure.
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As a visiting scientist at the CDC, P. Thorsen became responsible for managing allocated funds in 2002. He allegedly systematically stole grant funds by submitting forged documents to the Danish government, Aarhus University, and Odense University Hospital, where researchers conducted studies.
From February 2004 to June 2008, the man submitted more than ten forged invoices with a forged signature of the head of the CDC laboratory department. They falsely claimed that the CDC laboratory performed the work and was entitled to the grant funds.
Aarhus University transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to credit union accounts claimed to belong to the CDC but which actually belonged to the epidemiologist.
P. Thorsen took these funds. Available data shows that a house was purchased in Atlanta, cars “Audi” and “Honda”, and a “Harley Davidson” motorcycle.
Part of the money the Dane simply withdrew or transferred to other accounts, covering credit card payments. In total, he received more than 1 million dollars in CDC grants from Aarhus University and Odense University Hospital.
There Was Definitely a Forger
In April 2011, after 22 charges were made public, a federal magistrate judge issued an arrest warrant for P. Thorsen. Remaining in Denmark, he avoided arrest and became one of the most wanted fugitives by the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
The epidemiologist was caught only on June 4 last year while traveling in Germany and was extradited to the US this May. At that time, he was officially charged with 22 counts of fraud and money laundering. He remains in custody without the possibility of bail.
Finally, on September 1, the Dane admitted to embezzling more than 1 million dollars in federal grants allocated for autism and other public health research.
This turn in the case revived the conspiracy theory that vaccines cause autism (usually blaming the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines, or MMR by their English initials).
Also read: The alleged vaccine-autism link is no longer enough – the same substance supposedly causes COVID-19
It originated from a study whose author, British doctor Andrew Wakefield, falsified results and claimed that MMR vaccines increase the risk of autism. From this, the man also had financial gain – agreements with lawyers pressuring families raising autistic children to file lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies producing vaccines were identified and proven.
Later, all his claims were refuted, and the study itself was recognized as the biggest fraud in medical history. A. Wakefield lost his medical license and was forced to flee the United Kingdom.
Causes – Both Genes and Environment
One of the false beliefs about autism is that it is a disease caused by a specific cause (hepatitis B vaccines or aluminum, mercury, “chemtrails”, even “Tylenol” in vaccines are mentioned).
In fact, it is not a disease. Autism spectrum disorder is neurological. The brains of people with it differ structurally and chemically. Because of this, autistic people experience and perceive the world differently. This can manifest as unusual behavior, individual learning needs, different emotional reactions, and communication.
It is believed that its development is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, such as pollution. Specialists also mention nutritional peculiarities and stress during pregnancy, premature birth, low birth weight, even lower infant mortality – the more babies survive, the higher the chance that among them will be those who have this disorder.
Also read: Do hepatitis B vaccines for newborns really increase autism risk by 1135%?
P. Thorsen got into trouble because of finances – embezzled grant funds, not because of research, such as improper methodology, hidden or falsified results, as was the case with A. Wakefield. Thus, the crimes do not refute the conclusions of the Danish scientific article.
The main author of the 2002 study, which is now most discussed, Kreesten Madsen told the AFP news agency that the idea and concept were his. Data collection, initial analysis, and interpretation were allegedly done without P. Thorsen, who did not have access to the data at all, only provided the connection to the CDC.
“The New England Journal of Medicine” (NEJM) also noted that the conclusions remain valid and correspond to extensive later studies that showed no link between MMR vaccination and autism.
15min verdict: lacking context. Danish epidemiologist P. Thorsen will indeed be tried for fraud and money laundering, but this concerns embezzlement of grant funds, not falsification of autism and vaccine research results. The scientist’s behavior does not refute the analysis conclusions, which confirm the already proven fact – MMR vaccines are not a cause of autism.
Publication prepared by 15min in cooperation with “Meta”, aiming to stop the spread of misleading news on social media. More about the program and its rules – here.
