Lunch and Learn with Dr. Berry

So, let's talk about the vaccine-autism debate—because it's time to put this myth to an end. Are vaccines really linked to autism diagnosis? Tune in to this episode to find out! Are you still hearing claims that vaccines cause autism? Are you wondering why, in 2025, this debate is still making headlines? With measles outbreaks on the rise and public figures reigniting vaccine fears, it's time to set the record straight once and for all. Because here's the truth—the connection between vaccines and autism was debunked decades ago, yet misinformation continues to spread. A dangerous situation we're in right now—the more people buy into the myth, the more lives unnecessarily put at risk. Science is clear—vaccines do NOT cause autism, but misinformation continues to do real harm. That's why in this episode, we're breaking down the origins of the vaccine-autism myth and how a single fraudulent study in 1998 fueled decades of fear. Why you need to check this episode: Learn the origins of the vaccine-autism myth and how it continues to mislead people today; Understand the truth about vaccines, and why people who believe vaccines are linked to autism are standing in dog poop; and Recognize the dangers of misinformation along with the importance of getting vaccinated  “The thing is: I love truth. And because I love truth, I love you, I love my Lunch and Learn community, I'm not going here to tell you a lie just so I can be 10x more popular. That's crazy to me. That is silly to me. I don't want to sit in dog poop. I don't want to stand in dog poop. My goal is to take everyone and help everyone get their foot out of the dog poop. If you don't get nothing else—get your foot out of the dog poop.” – Dr. Berry Pierre Notable Quotes: “As a physician, as a healthcare content creator, my job is to keep on talking, because I know, eventually, I may just reach you. Eventually, I may reach that one person needed to hear someone say, ‘Hey, get out of the dog poop. You are standing in dog poop. Please get out. Your foundation is faulty. It's based on lies. Please get out. Red pill [or] blue pill—please, take the one that's going to help you seek the truth because if you actually want to seek the truth.” – Dr. Berry Pierre “It's up to content creators like myself, and physicians like myself, and educators like myself, and the epidemiologists, infectious disease, and whoever will listen. It's up to us to continue to scream from the rooftops when we see something like ‘RFK and the CDC want to do more vaccine research on autism'. We got to say, ‘Guys, that is a waste of time. Don't put no credence to that whatsoever… Here are your answers. Keep it moving. Let's focus on something else. Let's try to cure some cancer or something.” – Dr. Berry Pierre “There is no relation between vaccines and autism. We have multiple studies already showing that… There are multiple reasons why the increased prevalence of autism has occurred… What you need to do is just protect yourself and get vaccinated. What you need to do is take your foot out of the dog poop. Your foundation is shaky. Your foundation was based on lies—lies that have occurred 27 years ago… And if you don't listen to anyone, listen to some healthcare provider near you that can actually speak some sense.” – Dr. Berry Pierre Sign up at www.listentodrberry.com  to join the mailing list. Remember to subscribe to the podcast and share the episode with a friend or family member. Listen on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Stitcher, Soundcloud, iHeartRadio, and Spotify Resources: Last week's episode (Measles Outbreaks in Texas & New Mexico – Are We Prepared?) My TikTok video (“President Disinformation ready to send RFK Jr. out on another dummy mission over a question we have already answered about Autism Rates”) Vaccines and Autism” by Paul A. Offit, MD A population-based study of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination and autism” by Madsen, K.M. et. al.:

So, let's talk about the reasons why measles is back and why we're blaming misinformation and disinformation for it… Should we be concerned? Do we need to get vaccinated ASAP? Tune in to this episode to find out! A disease we've eradicated in this country in the year 2000 has now come back, and it's definitely worse than before. Yes, I'm talking about the measles disease and its recent outbreaks here in the United States. In this year alone, with just three months in, it has already claimed its first two deaths—both of whom are kids. Innocent children who never had a choice; just kids who had to go through the consequences of their parents' decisions. And with no treatment for it still and a lot of anti-vaxxers spreading false claims, what happens next? More outbreaks, more travel bans, more ER visits, and more preventable deaths. It's devastating, but it's the truth. But then again, it's preventable. Lives could be saved and people could prevent being sick—BUT if and only if we start acting today. So, if you want to know how you can protect yourself, your loved ones, and others, join me in this podcast episode. Together, let's fight to spread the truth and combat the killer—mis- and disinformation. Why you need to check this episode: Learn why measles outbreaks keep happening, and why they're only getting worse; Understand how misinformation and disinformation impact vaccine hesitancy, putting lives at risk and leading to avoidable deaths; Recognize the real-life consequences of skipping vaccines—for yourself, your family, and your community; and Discover a list of things you can do to protect yourself and those around you from getting sick and ultimately dying due to measles. “You know what really works very well against people getting the measles [disease]? Getting vaccinated… Vaccination remains the cornerstone of preventing measles…not any supplement or mineral or any random thing you want to put in your body.” – Dr. Berry Pierre Notable Quotes: "A disease that we got rid of, essentially, in 2000, that we don't necessarily have a treatment for in 2025, has now claimed its first two deaths in over a decade. And unfortunately, the only thing we have to blame is misinformation and disinformation.” – Dr. Berry Pierre “People always say this: The lie travels much faster than the truth.” – Dr. Berry Pierre “My biggest issue with those who are very vocal with their stances [is] when sh*t hits the fan, those same people are silent, are absent. In fact…when you look across your timeline, no one's championing being anti-vaxx. All of a sudden, it's not cool to be anti-vaxx, because you have a current outbreak. [But] the second this outbreak dies down, you'll see those same people start picking their cameras back up… But every time we have an outbreak like such, those people tend to run away and they're silent.” – Dr. Berry Pierre “You're taking this [vaccine] not because the government wants to overpower you or inject you with some GPS-related medication—which is some of the craziest stuff I hear from these anti-vaxxers. It's because, for the greater good, people need to be protected.” – Dr. Berry Pierre “I want you guys to make your own informed decisions because this is what happens: when it hits the fan, those same people who told you ‘don't do this' ‘don't do that' are nowhere to be found, and the only people who are still around to be found are the ones who have to risk their selves, their family, to take care of you.” – Dr. Berry Pierre Sign up at www.listentodrberry.com  to join the mailing list. Remember to subscribe to the podcast and share the episode with a friend or family member. Listen on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Stitcher, Soundcloud, iHeartRadio, and Spotify Resources: CDC Health Advisory (“Expanding Measles Outbreak in the United States and Guidance for the Upcoming Travel Season") News Article from the American Hospital Association (“CDC issues advisory on measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico”)

So, let's talk about Autism in Black's 5th Annual Conference and why this one is a little bit more special than the others… If you are a Black autistic individual, a parent, caregiver, or educator to one, or an ally looking to provide better support for Black autistic individuals, this episode—and conference—are FOR YOU. For so long, the Black autism community has struggled with access to resources, culturally responsive care, and finding safe spaces to learn and grow. Imagine having to fight every step of the way to ensure your child receives the support they need—the struggle is real and it leaves families feeling isolated and unheard. But that's exactly why we made sure that this year's conference will be more special than ever. From IEP advocacy to mental health and Black fatherhood, this conference will break barriers, empower families, build community, and push for actionable change. So, if you're ready to make that happen, join me and my wife, Maria Davis-Pierre, LMHC, as we take action towards transforming the future for the Black autism community.