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A 41-year-old Eritrean man from Switzerland faces trial in Germany for allegedly pushing an eight-year-old boy and his mother onto the tracks of an Intercity Express train at the Frankfurt central station in July; the boy was killed, but his mother survived. A psychiatric assessment showed that the man suffered from an episode of schizophrenia and had "at least a considerably reduced ability" to control his actions. The incident triggered reactions from across the German federal government, who have called for a review of the country's immigration policies.
2020-08-19

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expresses his condolences for the death of a Palestinian man with autism and says he "expects a full investigation into the matter" from Interior Security Minister Amir Ohana.
2020-06-7

The medical records of British monarch George III are released, solving the mystery of the King's illness, which has plagued historians for hundreds of years. Doctors say he would have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder had he lived today.
2018-11-17

A ten-year-old boy from Florida with autism is arrested at school, and spends the night in a juvenile facility. Unknown to the family, the boy had an outstanding warrant for his arrest after kicking and scratching one of his educators. The Autism Society of America is looking into legal options.
2017-04-20

Tribeca Film Festival co-founder Robert De Niro announces the film, "Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe", will not be screened at the 2016 Festival as previously announced. “Grace [Hightower] and I have a child with autism and we believe it is critical that all of the issues surrounding the causes of autism be openly discussed and examined," Mr. De Niro said. "... (our) Tribeca Film Festival team and others from the scientific community ... do not believe (this film) contributes to or furthers the discussion (about autism) I hoped for," the actor-producer said.
2016-03-26

A woman suffering from schizophrenia stabbed three students and a police negotiator at a secondary school in Žďár nad Sázavou, Czech Republic. A 16-year-old boy died due to his injuries.
2014-10-14

A study published in "The Journal of Pediatrics" confirms that there is no scientific evidence of a link between vaccines and autism.
2013-03-29

A new, seemingly chronic but non-contagious, immunodeficiency disease is diagnosed since 2004, affecting mainly people of Asian genotype aged around 50. Most patients create interferon-gamma-blocking autoantibodies more frequently. Genetic factors are suspected but it would not "run in families". Also, something in the environment may trigger the disease.
2012-08-23

The UK's General Medical Council bans Dr. Andrew Wakefield, who was the first to publish research suggesting a connection between the MMR vaccine and autism, from practicing in the country, finding him guilty of "serious professional misconduct."
2010-05-24

"The Lancet" medical journal issues a full retraction of a paper that caused a 12-year international controversy over alleged links between the MMR vaccine and autism.
2010-02-2