Online conversations about the CDC’s plans to research the debunked link between vaccines and autism continued this week, with popular posts supporting and criticizing the proposed study. Supporters say that vaccine advocates should welcome additional studies and falsely insinuate that vaccines don’t undergo rigorous safety testing before and after approval. Critics emphasize that there are already decades of research definitively disproving the link and that additional CDC studies are a waste of time and resources that won’t add to knowledge about vaccine safety. Some posts repeated the myth that aluminum in vaccines causes autism and shared quotes from an anti-vaccine organization falsely claiming that the MMR vaccine increases autism risk in boys. Several posts were from parents concerned about vaccination due to the onslaught of false claims about vaccine safety.
Recommendation
The myth that vaccines cause autism has fueled vaccine hesitancy for decades and has gained mainstream traction in recent years. Debunking messaging may emphasize that there are dozens of studies and decades of research proving that vaccines are safe and don’t cause autism. The only “evidence” supporting the myth is retracted studies from discredited researchers.
Fact-checking sources: College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Public Good News
