On March 8, an HHS spokesperson confirmed reports that the CDC will investigate whether vaccines cause autism, a link that has been thoroughly researched and disproven over the last three decades. The spokesperson stated that the “CDC will leave no stone unturned.” Many experts and critics highlighted the many large-scale studies showing there is no link between autism and childhood vaccines, calling the new study a “waste of time and money.” Some speculated that the study would be conducted by anti-vaccine and non-CDC researchers, while others claimed without evidence that research proving the link has been “suppressed.” Vaccine skeptics showed their support for the new study by repeating debunked myths about vaccine safety, including falsely claiming that vaccine adjuvants cause autism and other developmental disorders.
Recommendation
A June 2024 study found that nearly a quarter of Americans believe that vaccines may cause autism, underscoring the pervasiveness of the myth. The proposed CDC study into the debunked link between autism and vaccines may further undermine public confidence in vaccines. Debunking may explain that ample evidence gathered through decades of research proves that vaccines don’t cause autism. Messaging may also emphasize that the myth originated in a study that has since been retracted and whose author was discredited and stripped of his medical license. Highlighting that no reputable study has ever found evidence of any link between autism and vaccines is recommended.
Fact-checking sources: Public Good News, CDC, WebMD
