The acclaimed actor has given his vocal talents to a feature-length documentary that questions the legitimacy of vaccinations and commends one-time cabinet secretary the political figure.
Called "Plague of Corruption," the documentary is inspired by a bestselling book co-authored by a disgraced researcher, who gained notoriety during the global outbreak for allegations that the virus was caused by a faulty batch of the flu vaccine.
Her co-author, a producer, has also written books with far-right radio host Alex Jones. Heckenlively recently posted celebrating Neeson's involvement in the project.
Representatives for the actor have released a response strongly denying suggestions that he subscribes to anti-vaccine sentiments.
"Everyone can acknowledge that misconduct might be present within the drug industry, but that cannot be confused with opposition to vaccines," the statement reads. "He is not, and is not, anti-vaccination. His extensive work with Unicef underscores his enduring support for global immunisation initiatives."
The response continued that the performer had no hand in the film's editorial content and that concerns about its content should be directed to the producers.
According to the documentary, the narration spoken by Neeson includes several provocative claims:
It includes a 2004 BBC documentary about clinical trials on children, which was later the topic of a BBC apology by the network for editorial breaches.
Recently, Kennedy instructed the CDC to alter its official position that there is no connection between vaccines and autism. This claim is also referenced in the documentary, even with a fresh analysis from the World Health Organisation stating no such link has been found.
Standing in contrast to the film's tone, Neeson has formerly expressed strong support for vaccines in his capacity as a charity ambassador.
Previously, he referred to vaccines as "a remarkable achievement," noting that "The conversation about vaccines in lately has lost sight of how much benefit they have done... It is perhaps one of the biggest shared accomplishments in history."
The film concludes with Neeson's narration saying, "This is not the end of our story. Rather, it is the dawn of a different phase."
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