Cleveland Clinic physician Daniel Neides, MD, penned an op-ed titled "Make 2017 the year to avoid toxins (good luck) and master your domain: Words on Wellness" in which he criticized vaccinations, specifically those given to newborns, according to a News Net 5 report.
The op-ed has since been removed from the Cleveland.com website where it was initially posted. Dr. Neides is the medical director and COO of the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute and has contributed blog posts to the website for two years.
Dr. Neides questioned whether vaccines can cause autism, a controversial subject with supporters and detractors. News Net 5 reported Dr. Neides faces discipline due to his retracted blog post, but details on the disciplinary actions were unavailable.
Cleveland Clinic issued a statement about its commitment to evidence-based medicine as a response to the blog post, stating, "Harmful myths and untruths about vaccinations have been scientifically debunked in rigorous ways. We completely support vaccinations to protect people, especially children who are particularly vulnerable."
Dr. Neides has apologized for the blog post and clarified his support for vaccinations in a statement released yesterday, stating "my concern was meant to be positive around the safety of them."