CDC Reverses Stance on Vaccines and Autism in Major Policy Shift
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has quietly reversed its long-standing position on vaccines and autism, removing the definitive statement that “vaccines do not cause autism” from its official website. The update signals a significant departure from decades of public health messaging and reflects a major policy shift under the current administration.
The revised CDC language now states that the claim is not an “evidence-based” conclusion and acknowledges that some studies have not entirely ruled out a potential link between vaccines and autism. This change aligns with views of U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine skeptic. While the original header remains due to a prior congressional agreement, the anti-vaccine group Children’s Health Defense praised the update as a correction to the scientific record.
The policy reversal has drawn widespread criticism from medical and public health experts. The American Academy of Pediatrics emphasized that over 40 high-quality studies involving millions of children show no link between vaccines and autism. The Autism Science Foundation also expressed concern, stating that vaccines are the most thoroughly studied environmental factor in relation to autism. Reports indicate that many CDC scientists were blindsided by the change.
Experts warn that the timing of this shift is particularly concerning, as childhood vaccination rates are already fragile. The updated guidance could increase vaccine hesitancy, potentially leading to outbreaks of preventable diseases like measles. The CDC’s reversal challenges a foundational public health message and may have far-reaching consequences for child immunization rates across the United States.
