Article Summary:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated the language on its webpage regarding the link between vaccines and autism. The new language suggests that the possibility of a link between infant vaccines and autism has not been ruled out, and that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched a “comprehensive assessment” to examine the causes of autism.
This change in message has been criticized by pediatricians, vaccine experts, and the Autism Science Foundation, who argue that autism is one of the most studied childhood conditions and that no credible research has ever suggested a link between it and vaccines. The Autism Science Foundation has described the change as “anti-vaccine rhetoric and outright lies about vaccines and autism,” and has expressed concern that it will cause fear in parents and lead to them withholding vaccines, putting their children at risk of contracting and potentially dying from vaccine-preventable diseases.
It remains unclear who made the changes to the CDC webpage and from where the new information originated. The HHS has stated that the website had been updated “to reflect gold standard, evidence-based science,” but has not provided a clear definition of what it considers to be such science.
The change in message on the CDC webpage is concerning, as it could potentially undermine public confidence in the safety and efficacy of vaccines, which are a critical tool in protecting public health.