Kazakhstan Health Ministry rejects 'pseudo-autism' diagnosis and candida link

AI digestMimile.ai EditorialAugust 28, 2026 at 04:07 PM

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Kazakhstan Health Ministry rejects 'pseudo-autism' diagnosis and candida link

Kazakhstan's Health Ministry has rejected the diagnosis 'pseudo-autism' and the claim that candida causes autism spectrum disorder. The ministry said the hypothesis is not supported by peer-reviewed research and is not recognized by the World Health Organization. The statement comes as IT specialist Zhandos Kulzhanbekov promotes the theory online.

Key Facts

The Health Ministry said 'pseudo-autism' is absent from ICD-10, ICD-11, and DSM-5.
The ministry stated the candida hypothesis is not confirmed by peer-reviewed research or recognized by the WHO.
Zhandos Kulzhanbekov, an IT specialist, has no medical education, according to the Medical and Pharmaceutical Control Committee.
In August, Moscow prosecutors charged a clinic director and doctor with fraud for misleading parents of autistic children from December 2017 to April 2026.

Ministry Response

The Ministry of Health's Department of Medical and Social Rehabilitation for Children recommended that parents use only scientifically proven diagnostic and treatment methods. The ministry stated that autism spectrum disorder is an independent neurodevelopmental disorder with established diagnostic criteria. It noted that modern scientific data point to a predominantly polygenic and hereditary nature of the disorder. The ministry did not specify how it plans to respond to Kulzhanbekov's statements.

Kulzhanbekov's Claims

Zhandos Kulzhanbekov, an IT specialist, runs a blog that is gaining popularity in Kazakhstan and other republics. He insists that candida is the cause of autism and shares a treatment scheme. He also claims a link between intestinal candida and acellular vaccines, and frequently mentions 'pseudo-autism'. The Medical and Pharmaceutical Control Committee confirmed that Kulzhanbekov has no medical education.

Moscow Fraud Case

In August, Moscow prosecutors charged the director and a doctor of a private medical clinic with fraud. Investigators allege that from December 2017 to April 2026, the defendants targeted parents of children with autism spectrum disorders and other severe neurological conditions. They are accused of misleading parents about the effectiveness of their methods and persuading them to pay for expensive medical services and drugs.

1 source

Kazakhstan Health Ministry rejects 'pseudo-autism' diagnosis and candida link

vlast.kz

Vlast.kz

Health

Kazakh Health Ministry cites studies finding no link between vaccines and autism

Kazakhstan's Health Ministry cited studies involving over 1.2 million children that found no link between vaccines and autism. The ministry's Sanitary and Epidemiological Control Committee said scientific data do not support claims that multiple vaccines or vaccine antigens cause autism. The statement follows social media claims linking COVID-19 vaccination to autism and schizophrenia.

Health

Kazakhstan's first-time mental disorder diagnoses nearly double to 15,500 by 2025

Kazakhstan's Ministry of Health reported first-time mental disorder diagnoses rose from 8,500 in 2021 to 15,500 in 2025, a near doubling. The primary incidence rate climbed from 45.1 to 76 per 100,000 people, with a further 15.7% year-on-year increase in Q1 2026. The ministry presented a 2027–2030 mental health plan shifting focus to prevention and integrating specialists into polyclinics.

Health

Kazakhstan parents urge ministry to keep rare disease drug in list

Parents of children with neurofibromatosis type I in Kazakhstan are urging the Health Ministry to keep the drug Selumetinib (Koselugo) in the state list of orphan disease medications. The ministry has proposed excluding the drug due to low evidence levels, but parents say it is the only effective therapy for dozens of children. The draft order is open for public discussion until July 22.

Finance

Kazakhstan's disabled children count rises 6.8% in a year to 122,500

The number of people with disabilities in Kazakhstan reached 756,241 as of July 1, 2026, according to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection. The fastest growth was among children under 18, whose count rose 6.8% year-on-year to 122,500. The increase is attributed to wider autism and genetic screening, improved survival of premature infants, and internal migration to cities like Astana.

Kazakhstan Health Ministry rejects 'pseudo-autism' diagnosis and candida link

Key Facts

Ministry Response

Kulzhanbekov's Claims

Moscow Fraud Case

Read more

Read more