The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) plans to assign a controversial researcher, David Geier, to examine vaccine safety data, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Geier, who is listed as a “senior data analyst” in the HHS directory, has long promoted the discredited claim that vaccines cause autism.
Sources told The Washington Post that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will share multiple sets of vaccine safety data with Geier, despite his history of spreading misinformation. The CDC is said to have briefed the sources about the decision during recent meetings. However, they were not authorized to speak publicly about it.
Geier’s involvement has raised concerns. A former CDC official described his participation as casting doubt on the validity of any findings that result from this work.
Dr. Richard Besser, president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former CDC director, criticized Geier’s selection, calling him an “irresponsible choice.” Besser highlighted that Geier lacks a medical degree and has a history of promoting discredited vaccine-autism theories. He emphasized that families affected by autism deserve legitimate research focused on proven causes and treatments, not resources wasted on already debunked claims.
Geier’s appointment was first reported by The Washington Post on Tuesday evening. By Wednesday, it remained unclear if the plans had changed, and neither HHS nor Geier had responded to requests for comment.
This decision comes at a time when a large measles outbreak is spreading across Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. By Wednesday, there had been 377 confirmed cases in these states, with the majority in unvaccinated children in Texas. This outbreak has become the largest in the U.S. since 2019, resulting in two deaths, including that of a 6-year-old girl.
Earlier reports indicated that the CDC was planning to launch a new investigation into possible links between vaccines and autism. However, instead of the CDC leading the investigation, HHS—under the leadership of longtime anti-vaccine advocate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—requested raw data from the CDC’s Vaccine Safety Datalink and three other sources. The CDC is part of HHS.
David Geier, along with his father, Dr. Mark Geier, gained notoriety for their poorly designed and retracted studies, which fueled misinformation about vaccines. Their work, using government safety data, made unproven claims linking vaccines to autism.
In 2004, the Geiers presented their findings at an Institute of Medicine (IOM) panel, where their claims were refuted by scientists. The Geiers failed to account for the age factor in their research, leading to faulty conclusions. As children grow older, they are more likely to receive an autism diagnosis, which skewed the Geiers’ analysis.
The Geiers ran their research operation from a basement in suburban Maryland and promoted an unproven autism treatment. The treatment, which involved injections of Lupron—a drug used to treat prostate cancer—cost families tens of thousands of dollars. It also caused harmful side effects, including bone damage, heart issues, and seizures. In 2011, a Maryland Board of Physicians investigation found that the Geiers had violated medical standards.
Mark Geier was stripped of his medical license in 2012. David Geier was also disciplined for practicing medicine without a license.
Along with his research, David Geier operated MedCon, a consulting firm that helped individuals claim compensation for vaccine injuries.
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