❓WHAT HAPPENED: Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. confirmed that he directed the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to update its website to reverse the agency’s prior position on childhood vaccines and autism.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the CDC, and Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.).
📍WHEN & WHERE: The update was implemented this week and confirmed in an interview published on Friday.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The whole thing about ‘vaccines have been tested and there’s been this determination made’ is just a lie.” – Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
🎯IMPACT: The CDC website now acknowledges that the claim “vaccines do not cause autism” is not evidence-based and that studies investigating a link have been overlooked.
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has acknowledged that he directly ordered the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to alter its long-standing language on vaccines and autism, to acknowledge that a possible link between the two has not been ruled out.
In an interview published Friday, Kennedy said, “The whole thing about ‘vaccines have been tested and there’s been this determination made’ is just a lie. The phrase ‘Vaccines do not cause autism’ is not supported by science.”
Following his directive, the CDC revised its “Vaccines and Autism” webpage. The updated text now states that “The claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim because studies have not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines cause autism.” The page also notes that “Studies supporting a link have been ignored by health authorities” and adds that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has begun a wide-ranging review of autism’s causes, including examinations of possible biological mechanisms and potential vaccine-related links.
Although the content has changed substantially, the headline “Vaccines do not cause autism” still appears on the page, albeit with an asterisk. The language remains due to an agreement with Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana (R), who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.
Cassidy, a physician, condemned the revision, claiming that “vaccines for measles, polio, hepatitis B, and other childhood diseases are safe and effective and will not cause autism. Any statement to the contrary is wrong, irresponsible, and actively makes Americans sicker.” Kennedy confirmed he spoke with Cassidy, and “He disagreed with the decision.”
Recent months have seen increased scrutiny of autism research within the federal government. Kennedy has announced new federally backed investigations aimed at identifying environmental toxins or biological pathways that could contribute to rising autism diagnoses, and the CDC has begun preparations for broader inquiries into possible associations between vaccinations and neurodevelopmental issues.
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