CDC Embarks on Study of Vaccines and Autism Despite Clear Scientific Consensus
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced plans to conduct a comprehensive study into the alleged link between vaccines and autism, a move that has sparked both concern and debate. This decision comes despite decades of scientific research consistently showing no evidence of such a connection.
Background and Scientific Consensus
The notion that vaccines cause autism originated from a now-retracted 1998 paper by Andrew Wakefield, which was later found to be fraudulent36. Since then, numerous studies have thoroughly debunked this claim. The CDC itself has repeatedly concluded that vaccines are not associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)26. A meta-analysis involving over 1.2 million children found no relationship between vaccination and the development of autism3. The overwhelming consensus from multiple large-scale studies and meta-analyses is that there is no evidence to support the claim that vaccinating infants causes autism36.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Vaccine Conspiracy Theories
The decision to undertake this study is influenced by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. Health Secretary, who has long promoted conspiracy theories linking vaccines to autism. Despite the robust scientific evidence to the contrary, Kennedy has continued to sow doubts about vaccine safety, contributing to increased vaccine hesitancy145. His skepticism about the effectiveness of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is particularly concerning, especially during a significant measles outbreak in the U.S.14.
Current Developments and Concerns
The CDC plans to use the Vaccine Safety Datalink for this research, a system that tracks vaccine safety and examines rare adverse events2. Critics argue that this study could divert resources from more pressing health issues and may further erode trust in vaccines, potentially leading to lower vaccination rates12. The ongoing measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico, attributed to low vaccination rates, highlights the risks associated with decreased vaccine uptake14.
Public Health Implications
As the CDC embarks on this study, public health officials emphasize the importance of vaccines in preventing outbreaks like measles. The national measles vaccination rate among kindergarteners has declined since 2019, dropping from nearly 95% to 92.7%4. This decline in vaccination rates poses significant risks, as measles can lead to severe complications such as pneumonia and even death14.
While the scientific consensus is clear that vaccines do not cause autism, the CDC’s decision to revisit this topic reflects ongoing public debate and political influence. The study’s outcome will be closely watched, as it may impact public perception of vaccine safety and, ultimately, vaccination rates.
Citations:
- https://www.thedailybeast.com/cdc-ignores-years-of-research-to-launch-study-into-vaccines-and-autism/
- https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/07/health/hhs-cdc-vaccines-autism/index.html
- https://consensus.app/home/blog/does-vaccinating-infants-cause-autism/
- https://www.newsweek.com/under-rfk-jrs-leadership-cdc-launches-large-study-vaccines-autism-2041309
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2025/03/07/cdc-plans-large-study-on-long-debunked-connection-between-vaccines-and-autism-report-says/
- https://www.chop.edu/vaccine-education-center/vaccine-safety/vaccines-and-other-conditions/autism
- https://beta.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/about/autism.html
- https://autismsociety.org/rfk-jr-questioned-on-autism-during-confirmation-hearing/
- https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)02603-5/fulltext
- https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/12/06/nx-s1-5218574/rfk-vaccines-anti-vaccine-infectious-disease
- https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00439-y
- https://www.factcheck.org/person/robert-f-kennedy-jr/
- https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/autism-community-fears-rfk-jr-progress-rcna188885
- https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/health/vaccines-autism-cdc-rfk-jr.html
- https://www.nytimes.com/article/rfk-conspiracy-theories-fact-check.html
- https://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/factcheck-org-kennedy-cites-flawed-paper-in-bid-to-justify-vaccine-autism-link/
- https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/05/us/politics/bill-cassidy-rfk-measles.html
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2024/11/15/rfk-jrs-conspiracy-theories-heres-what-trumps-pick-for-health-secretary-has-promoted/
- https://abcnews.go.com/Health/rfk-jr-questioned-rising-autism-rates-experts-gets/story?id=118648320
- https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/trumps-nih-pick-bhattacharya-appears-open-research-vaccines-autism-rcna194937
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/03/07/vaccines-trump-autism-reseasrch/
- https://autismsciencefoundation.org/autism-and-vaccines/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5789217/
- https://sph.emory.edu/news/news-release/2024/12/autism-spectrum-disorder-vaccines.html
- https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2025/03/07/cdc-study-vaccines-autism-measles-outbreak/81954580007/
- https://www.nationalacademies.org/based-on-science/vaccines-do-not-cause-autism
- https://www.cdc.gov/autism/faq/index.html
- https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines-children/about/index.html
- https://historyofvaccines.org/getting-vaccinated/vaccine-faq/do-vaccines-cause-autism/
- https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/autism-vaccine-link-debunked
- https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/29/rfk-jrs-view-on-vaccines-comes-under-fire-at-contentious-us-senate-hearing
- https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-vaccine-trump-science-autism-9b99621b01f11b7f0bdc81e5a0b82d2b
- https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/29/us/politics/rfk-jr-anti-vax.html
- https://www.brookings.edu/articles/rfk-jr-s-history-of-medical-misinformation-raises-concerns-over-hhs-nomination/
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rfk-jr-measles-vaccine-deadly-texas-outbreak/
- https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0mzk2y41zvo
- https://www.foxnews.com/health/cdc-launch-study-vaccines-autism-possible-links-report
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2908388/
