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A Danish researcher who co-authored landmark studies debunking the autism-vaccine link has pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Poul Thorsen, MD, PhD, admitted to diverting over $1 million in CDC grant money for personal use over several years. Experts stress his misconduct doesn't invalidate the underlying vaccine safety research.
Poul Thorsen, MD, PhD, a Danish physician and co-author of key studies showing no link between childhood vaccines and autism, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud after being extradited from Germany — more than 14 years after going on the run. The U.S. Department of Justice confirmed that Thorsen admitted to running a multi-year scheme that diverted CDC grant funds into personal accounts.
From 2000 to 2009, the CDC awarded over $11 million to two Danish agencies to study autism, cerebral palsy, and childhood development. Thorsen, who administered the grants, submitted more than a dozen fraudulent invoices bearing a forged CDC official's signature, causing Aarhus University to transfer funds into accounts he controlled — money he then withdrew for personal use.
Crucially, experts emphasize that Thorsen's fraud does not undermine the science. He had no access to data and played no role in study design or analysis in the landmark 2002 NEJM study on MMR vaccines and autism.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Thorsen's fraud represents a serious breach of public trust and a misuse of federal research funds earmarked for vulnerable populations. However, scientists and clinicians are clear: the vaccine safety data stands. The guilty plea closes a long-running legal saga — but should not be used to fuel vaccine hesitancy.
