The CDC Website Now Shows Debunked Claims About Vaccines and Autism

The CDC website now says that the link between vaccines and autism "cannot be ruled out," despite a longstanding stance to the contrary, per NPR.

Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, RFK Jr., told the New York Times that he asked for the change, falsely saying that there is not enough science to prove there is no link.

Public health experts are concerned about this because false claims about vaccines have already led to lower numbers of children being vaccinated and a resurgence of dangerous childhood diseases like measles and whooping cough. Read on for details on the CDC website changes.

The page about autism and vaccines on the CDC website used to say that "no links have been found between any vaccine ingredients and Autism spectrum disorder," according to CBS News. It now reads, "Vaccines do not cause autism' is not an evidence-based claim."

The CDC website now claims that studies proving the link between autism and vaccines have been ignored by health authorities. However, this is blatantly false.

The President of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Susan J. Kressly, said, "Since 1998, independent researchers across seven countries have conducted more than 40 high-quality studies involving over 5.6 million people. The conclusion is clear and unambiguous: There's no link between vaccines and autism," per NPR.

She said, "Anyone repeating this harmful myth is misinformed or intentionally trying to mislead parents."

Singer also said that spreading misinformation about vaccines can put "children at risk to contract and potentially die from vaccine preventable diseases."

Andrew Nixon, the spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, told NPR that they have "launched a comprehensive assessment of the causes of autism, including investigations on plausible biologic mechanisms and potential causal links."

The Autism Science Foundation states that the webpage on Autism and Vaccines is "filled with anti-vaccine rhetoric and outright lies about vaccines and autism."

They reiterate that the update is misinformation that goes against "the best available science" and "shows a lack of understanding of the term 'evidence.'"

The debunked theory that vaccines cause autism came from a 1998 study that has now been retracted, as it was found to be fraudulent. Dr. Wakefield, who conducted the study, lost his license. However, the myth prevailed.

She said, "This change to CDC language undermines the agency's scientific integrity, damaging its credibility on vaccines and other health recommendations," per CBS News.

She continued, "Most concerning, it risks endangering children by driving down vaccination rates and leaving kids vulnerable to preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough."