Synopsis: Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu recently reignited a debate by repeating claims that link childhood vaccines to autism – an assertion widely dismissed by the global scientific community. In a conversation with South First, Dr Sugudev, Head of Psychiatry at Madurai Rajaji Government Hospital, addresses these misconceptions and explains what science actually tells us about vaccines, autism, and early intervention.

Earlier this week, Sridhar Vembu, the billionaire founder of cloud-based business software company Zoho Corporation, sparked controversy after repeating long-debunked claims linking childhood vaccines to rising autism rates. His post on X triggered a wave of debate and concern.

Dr Sugudev, Head of the Psychiatry Department at Madurai Rajaji Government Hospital, explained to

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