Former boxer Anthony Mundine criticized for his anti-vaxxer comments

Former boxer Anthony Mundine has been termed "peanut" and "extremely dangerous" because renowned Australians have condemned him for broadcasting conspiracy theories promoting anti-vaccination.

Mundine turned to social media on Wednesday night to urge supporters not to vaccinate their children. A link has been added to an American online video that promoted the conspiracy theory that vaccines can cause autism.

"Do not vaccinate your menstrual period!" Mundine wrote.

"The government intimidates [sic] you in the vaccine! "he added.

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"Do your research on shit and watch the documentary vaxxed …"

Australian footballer Archie Thompson, who had already promoted anti-vaccination vaccination, liked the tweet.

According to the World Health Organization, the 1998 study, which raises concerns about a possible link between measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR) and autism, was later found to be "seriously defective and fraudulent". "and was retracted by the newspaper that published it.

"There is no evidence of a link between MMR vaccine and autism or autistic disorders," advises the World Health Organization.

Australian Paralympian Kurt Fearnley said Mundine was a "peanut" and should see first-hand the effects of diseases such as polio that can be prevented by vaccination.

"You have a lot of mates with Polio, too, a bunch of countries that did not have the luxury of getting vaccinated, you make peanuts …," Fearnley said.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said the community should ignore the dangerous and ignorant views of Mundine.

"I do not have time for anti-vaxxers and the message they send is extremely dangerous," said Mr Hunt. The Sydney Morning Herald and L & # 39; age.

"This includes high-profile individuals who broadcast dangerous information about vaccines on social media."

"Science is that vaccines are effective, they save and protect lives."

The vaccination rate in Australia is 94.62%, which is a record, although close to the 95% target set by the government.

Mundine's anti-vaccination comments come as new data show that Australia is experiencing its largest number of measles cases in five years.

As of April 5, there had been 83 cases of measles this year, compared with 103 for the whole of 2018 and 81 for the whole of 2017.

The number of diagnoses is so high that it has prompted the government to target unvaccinated travelers arriving in Australia, with 100% of cases attributable to people who became infected abroad and returned to Australia.