Craig J. Newschaffer is the founding director of Drexel University's AJ Drexel Autism Institute, as well as a professor of epidemiology at the Drexel University School of Public Health and a professor of psychology at Drexel University College of Medicine.
Craig J. Newschaffer | |
|---|---|
| Alma mater | Boston University, Johns Hopkins University, Harvard University |
| Known for | Research on modifiable autism risk factors |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Autism |
| Institutions | Drexel University |
| Thesis | Comorbidity and mortality in elderly breast cancer patients (1996) |
Education
editNewschaffer holds bachelor's degrees in biology and public relations from Boston University (1984), a SM in Health Policy and Management from the Harvard University School of Public Health and a PhD in chronic disease epidemiology from Johns Hopkins University (1996).[1]
Career
editNewschaffer was formerly assistant professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities from 2004 until he was appointed professor of public health at Drexel in 2007.[2]
Research
editNewschaffer is the principal director of the "EARLI" study, which follows mothers of children with autism beginning at the start of subsequent pregnancies, given that these mothers are known to be at a higher risk of having another autistic child,[3][4] and has been the principal investigator of the ADDM Network and the SEED study. Newschaffer serves as associate editor of the American Journal of Epidemiology.[2]
Views on autism causes
editWith regard to the causes of autism, Newschaffer stated in an interview that while genetics plays an important role, that "there are going to be causal components that are nonheritable genetics, things that we refer to as environmental causes..."[5] He has also, however, contended that the rise in autism prevalence is to a large extent due only to "increased community awareness, changes to the diagnostic approach among clinicians and shifting public policy,"[6] though he was more ambiguous about this in a 2005 interview, saying that he thought that "there currently is little strong evidence supporting either hypothesis (real risk versus diagnostic bias)...,"[7] a view he had expressed the previous year in an interview with The New York Times , saying that "a large chunk" of the rise in autism was due to broadening of the diagnostic criteria but that "The devil is in how big a chunk is that big chunk."[8] Newschaffer has also contended that there is no link between vaccines and autism, saying, "Those studies just kept piling up that showed no association between MMR or thimerosal exposure and autism."[9]
References
edit- ^ "Craig J. Newschaffer, PhD - Dornsife School of Public Health - Drexel University". School of Public Health. Drexel University. Archived from the original on 12 February 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ a b Craig Newschaffer, PhD
- ^ Szabo, Liz (2 April 2012). "With autism rising, researchers step up hunt for a cause". USA Today. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- ^ Corbett Dooren, Jennifer (9 June 2009). "Autism Study to Follow Pregnant Women". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
- ^ Macneil, Robert (20 April 2011). "Autism Now: Dr. Craig Newschaffer Extended Interview". PBS NewsHour. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- ^ Newschaffer, Craig (12 April 2013). "Guest blog: Inflated prevalence?". Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- ^ Barclay, Laurie (15 July 2005). "Autism "Epidemic?": A Newsmaker Interview With Morton Ann Gernsbacher, PhD, And Craig J. Newschaffer, PhD". Medscape. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- ^ Goode, Erica (26 January 2004). "Autism Cases Up, Cause is Unclear". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- ^ Beckman, Mary (18 June 2007). "What's behind vaccine fears?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 23 December 2013.