TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A video circulating on Instagram [archive] since April 15, 2026, claims that the vaccine industry intentionally makes children sick to generate billions of dollars in profit. The content features excerpts from The High Wire podcast with Sherri Tenpenny, an osteopathic physician from Ohio, United States, originally broadcast on October 27, 2025.
In the video, Tenpenny claims early vaccination triggers various conditions such as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), asthma, and eczema. She alleges these illnesses lead children to become dependent on medication for life.
Since it was uploaded, the video has received 6,429 likes, been reshared 1,564 times, and attracted more than 490 comments from users. However, is it true that vaccines are designed to make children sick or linked to these diseases?
FACT-CHECK
Tempo’s fact-check team verified the claim by tracing the content and comparing it with credible scientific sources. The findings show that vaccination is not linked to ADHD, autism, or eczema in children. While vaccines may have side effects, their benefits far outweigh the risks in saving children’s lives globally.
Vaccines Not Linked to ADHD, Autism, or Eczema
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a mental disorder that affects attention and impulse control in children. Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is considered a subtype of ADHD. Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects communication and social interaction.
A lecturer at the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Clinical Allergy-Immunology, Universitas Airlangga, Ari Baskoro, emphasized that there is no scientific evidence showing vaccines increase the incidence of autism or ADHD.
He stated that leading global health institutions such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the National Academy of Medicine have repeatedly confirmed the safety of vaccines.
“There is no causal relationship between vaccination and ADHD or autism,” Ari said on Friday, April 24, 2026.
He added that claims linking vaccines to childhood illnesses are often spread by conspiracy theorists to discourage immunisation. The Institute for Vaccine Safety and CDC cite studies involving 1.8 million children which consistently show no link between the MMR vaccine—long falsely accused since 1998 of causing autism—and the disorder.
Regarding eczema, Medical News Today notes that vaccines do not directly cause the condition, although they may trigger symptoms in individuals with genetic susceptibility due to immune responses. People with such conditions are advised to consult doctors before vaccination.
Vaccination Saves Hundreds of Millions of Lives
UNICEF reports that immunisation has saved more than 150 million lives over the past 50 years. All vaccines must undergo strict testing before being approved for widespread use.
The World Health Organization notes that immunisation dates back to the 15th century as protection against smallpox, with major developments including the rabies vaccine in 1885.
In the 20th century, influenza vaccines helped curb a pandemic that killed an estimated 20–50 million people in 1918–1919. The polio vaccine, developed in the 1950s, also became a major milestone in preventing paralysis among children, with Czechoslovakia becoming the first country to eliminate polio through mass oral vaccination.
Sherri Tenpenny’s Anti-Vaccine Record
Sherri Tenpenny has been involved in anti-vaccine campaigning for more than two decades. In 2021, the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) listed her among 12 leading figures spreading Covid-19 vaccine misinformation.
AFP investigations report that Tenpenny has no specialised certification in epidemiology. Although she graduated from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1984, she has repeatedly promoted misleading claims. In 2008, she published Saying No To Vaccines, which falsely suggested a link between vaccines and autism.
She also made controversial statements during testimony before Ohio lawmakers in June 2021, claiming Covid-19 vaccines caused recipients to become “magnetic,” allowing metal objects such as spoons, forks, or keys to stick to their skin.
CONCLUSION
Based on fact-checking, the claim that vaccines are designed to make children sick or are linked to specific diseases is false.
TEMPO FACT-CHECK TEAM
**Do you have information or claims that you want to have fact-checked? Contact our ChatBot. You can also send criticism, objections, or feedback for this Fact-Checking article via email to [email protected].
