Kennedy Directs CDC to Revise Autism & Vaccine Language on Website
WASHINGTON – Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F.Kennedy Jr. has stated he directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to alter its longstanding public stance regarding a link between vaccines and autism. The change, recently implemented on the CDC website, now reads that the claim “vaccines do not cause autism” is “not an evidence-based claim” due to a perceived lack of conclusive studies ruling out a potential connection.
In a recent interview with The New York Times, Kennedy acknowledged existing large-scale studies on the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine and those examining the preservative thimerosal have not established a link to autism. However, he asserted gaps remain in the overall body of vaccine safety research. He characterized the assertion of thoroughly tested and determined vaccine safety as “a lie.”
Kennedy, who has a history of publicly questioning vaccine safety and lacks scientific training, explained his decision was prompted by a belief that insufficient high-quality research has been conducted to investigate potential links between autism and vaccines administered during a child’s first year of life. He specifically cited the hepatitis B vaccine and the combined diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine as areas needing further study.
This change has drawn strong criticism from public health experts, doctors, and scientists, who view it as a promotion of misinformation that the CDC has actively combatted for decades. Organizations like the World Health Association and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control continue to maintain that extensive research demonstrates no causal relationship between vaccines and autism.
The CDC’s advisory committee on vaccine policy is scheduled to convene next month to discuss potential revisions to recommendations regarding hepatitis B vaccinations. Kennedy also reported discussing the website changes with Senator Bill Cassidy, who reportedly expressed disagreement with the decision.
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