Vaccine conspiracies seem to be a dime a dozen these days. Ever since the Covid pandemic, it seems that you only have to open Threads or X momentarily before being hit square between the eyes with someone talking about them. One vaccine conspiracy that we thought had been largely put to bed, however, was the suggestion that vaccines cause autism. Unfortunately, in the era of alternative truths, it seems that the United States Government of all people is looking to sow the seeds of doubt with an update to their website on Wednesday.
Prior to then, visitors to their webpage on Autism and Vaccines (archive link) would have read the following statement: “Studies have shown that there is no link between receiving vaccines and developing autism spectrum disorder”.
Now, however, visitors will find the following:
- “The claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim”
- “Studies supporting a link have been ignored”
So where did claims of a link come from?
Back in 1998, Andrew Wakefield published an article in the Lancet medical journal claiming that a link had been established between the MMR vaccine and autism. The article reported on twelve children who had been referred to the Royal Free Hospital in London with developmental disorders. It went on to detail a collection of bowel symptoms that these same patients were experiencing. These were described as a new syndrome called “autistic enterocolitis” with the MMR vaccine identified as the “apparent precipitating event”.
The article is believed to have caused a sharp increase in measles cases, due to a drop in vaccination rates – especially in the United Kingdom where Wakefield was based.
The biggest problem? His article was completely wrong. The NHS, Canadian Paediatric Society, Institute of Medicine, and previously, the CDC have all concluded that there is no link between the MMR and autism.
In 2004, Wakefield was accused of a conflict of interest in an article in The Sunday Times. As it transpired, some of the parents involved in the study had been recruited by lawyers preparing a lawsuit against MMR vaccine manufacturers. In a later article it was reported that the same lawyers had paid Wakefield more than £400,000 for the study.
In 2010, the UK’s General Medical Council concluded that Wakefield had been dishonest in his research and had acted against patients best interests. He was later “struck off” the UK medical register and barred from practicing as a Doctor. The same year, the Lancet retracted the article stating that several elements are “incorrect”.
So why are the CDC changing their tune?
In February 2025, Robert F Kennedy Jr. assumed his role as the Secretary of Health and Human Services in the United States Government. Prior to this role, RFK Jr. who had some legal and political experience, had also dipped his toes into the murky waters of the anti-vaccination movement. During his nomination hearing, he stated that if he was presented with data regarding the safety of vaccines he would be “the first person to reassure the American people that they need to take those vaccines”. However, one of his first actions as Secretary was to fire FDA vaccine official Dr. Peter Marks who had been heavily involved with operation Warp Speed (the Covid vaccination push) under the first Trump administration.
It has been speculated by some (such as in this piece by The Guardian) that this change to the CDC website may be designed solely to reflect the views of RFK Jr., and certainly many groups have already come out in opposition of the website statement. That includes the charity Autism Speaks who state “We urge the CDC to restore fact-based language, reaffirm that vaccines do not cause autism, and redirect focus toward research and programs that address the critical priorities of autistic individuals and their families”.
No link between Vaccination and Autism has ever been proven
Understandably, parents are always on high alert for issues that might impact the health and safety of their children. That’s why the initial Wakefield article had such a negative impact on vaccination rates. The most alarming part of the CDC website update is the claim that saying “vaccines do not cause autism” is “not evidence based”. This statement risks causing undue alarm in parents of vaccine-aged children. The fact is, however, that this statement does not align with overwhelming scientific evidence – study after study has shown no link between vaccination and autism.
The World Health Organization maintains that “a robust, extensive evidence base exists showing childhood vaccines do not cause autism. Large, high-quality studies from many countries have all reached the same conclusion”. Further, a recent study of 1.2 million vaccinated children in Denmark found no link between aluminum in vaccinations and 50 chronic conditions including autism. Another Danish study from 2002 looked at over 500,000 children born between 1991-98 found, again, no link between MMR vaccination and autism. Finally, a 2014 meta-analysis of several studies involving 1.2 million children found no evidence of a link between vaccination and autism.
Disclaimer:
Statements about Andrew Wakefield, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., etc. are drawn from the linked sources, including news reports, government websites, and scientific studies. This post is meant to summarize publicly available information and research, not to provide medical or legal advice or make new claims about any named individual. For specific guidance on vaccines or health decisions, please consult a qualified medical professional.
Leave a Reply