For two decades, and as recently as 2010, Senator Rand Paul, a medical doctor specializing in ophthalmology, was a member of a fringe medical group created in response to the American Medical Association. Among that group's beliefs, at least during the time Paul was a member, are that HIV may not be the cause of AIDS, vaccines can cause autism, and women who have abortions are at a higher risk for breast cancer. All three medical claims run contrary to settled medical science, but the group insists there is no such thing.

Senator Paul came under attack this week after claiming that vaccines should be "voluntary," and promoting the idea that vaccines cause autism. “I have heard of many tragic cases of walking, talking normal children who wound up with profound mental disorders after vaccines,” the Kentucky Senator told CNBC in an interview during which he also told the reporter to "sssh."

The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS), was founded in the early 1940's "fight socialized medicine and to fight the government takeover of medicine."

A 2007 press release stated the group "promised to do everything it can to support parents who refuse to immunize their children." Its website features articles with titles like "If You Want to Live, Ignore the CDC," and "U.S. Must Learn from Nazi Doctor."