“… Kennedy has repeatedly said he suspects the flu vaccine triggered his spasmodic dysphonia, a neurological voice disorder, and that he stopped getting flu shots
in 2005.
Although he acknowledges he is unable to prove a connection, he said his eyes were opened to a link after reading vaccine inserts while he was engaged in litigation against flu vaccine manufacturers.
… Three top voice medical experts as well as the nonprofit Dysphonia International said in interviews that there is no scientific basis for the claim that the flu vaccine is behind Kennedy’s condition.
“Having seen over 300 patients with this condition over the course of my 30-year career, no one else has ever claimed or felt that they developed this condition due to a vaccination of any kind,” said Steven Bielamowicz, professor of surgery and director of the Voice Treatment Center at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
A type of dystonia, spasmodic dysphonia is a central nervous system and neurological condition of the brain that affects the muscles of the voice box and vocal cords.
It is distinct from dysphonia, which means an abnormal voice. A Washington Post review of
11 vaccine inserts for flu vaccines found dysphonia listed as a possible side effect on one type of flu shot, but not spasmodic dysphonia.
While there is no known cause for spasmodic dysphonia, brain injuries such as stroke and in rare cases genetic factors have been associated with the disorder.
There is evidence to suggest a potential associationbetween dystonias and certain drug use, three otolaryngologists told The Post.
Kennedy has publicly discussed his past addiction to heroin.
The voice experts noted there is some evidence that dystonias associated with drug use can be permanent or temporary.…”