Childhood autism diagnoses are rising and New Jersey leads the nation in prevalence. One out of every 34 children in the state are affected, according to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that included research from Rutgers.

Meanwhile, concerns about a link between vaccines and autism, though scientifically disproven, are not going away. A study published in JAMA Pediatrics earlier this year found that following an autism diagnosis, the affected children and their younger siblings are less likely to be vaccinated.

Such instances of science denialism can have serious health consequences, as Richard Marlink, director of Rutgers Global Health Institute and global HIV/AIDS expert, has seen. He will discuss the importance of advocating for science when it comes to health at a “Science Denialism, Public Policy, and Global Health” event co-presented by the institute and the New York Academy of Sciences on June 28 in New York City.