Controversial changes to CDC vaccine guidance prompted by health secretary
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its website to contradict its established stance that vaccines do not cause autism, following direct intervention by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., reports BritPanorama.
Kennedy’s directive has drawn significant attention, especially as many current and former staffers at the CDC expressed surprise at the newly published guidance which defies scientific consensus. As a prominent critic of vaccines, Kennedy has actively reshaped the public health agencies he oversees, leading to considerable unease within the medical community that views his policies as detrimental to public health.
In a recent interview, he stated, “The whole thing about ‘vaccines have been tested and there’s been this determination made,’ is just a lie.” This remark underscores the extent of the changes he has supported, which have sparked alarm among public health experts.
The CDC’s revised page on “vaccine safety” now contends that the statement “vaccines do not cause autism” lacks evidence due to the potential that infant vaccines could still be linked to the disorder. This update includes language suggesting that health officials have overlooked studies indicating a connection.
Public health researchers have strongly rebuffed the revised guidance, asserting that it misinforms the public by suggesting that the scientific community has not thoroughly investigated the safety of vaccines. They highlight a decades-long body of rigorous research consistently affirming that vaccines do not cause autism.
“No environmental factor has been better studied as a potential cause of autism than vaccines,” said the Autism Science Foundation in a statement. “All this research has determined that there is no link between autism and vaccines.”
Kennedy acknowledges studies showcasing no link between autism and vaccines, including those addressing the mercury-based preservative thimerosal. However, he claims there are ongoing gaps in vaccine safety science and advocates for more research.
This decision has sparked discord between Kennedy and Sen. Bill Cassidy, who chairs the Senate health committee. During Kennedy’s confirmation process, he assured Cassidy that he would maintain the assertion that vaccines do not cause autism on the CDC’s website. While the statement remains, it now carries a disclaimer attributing its retention to their arrangement.
Kennedy informed The New York Times that his dialogue with Cassidy following the website update revealed that Cassidy opposed the new direction.
“What parents need to hear right now is vaccines for measles, polio, hepatitis B, and other childhood diseases are safe and effective and will not cause autism,” Cassidy wrote on X. “Any statement to the contrary is wrong, irresponsible, and actively makes Americans sicker.”
The CDC update coincides with Kennedy’s broader actions as health secretary, which include withdrawing $500 million designated for vaccine development, overhauling federal vaccine advisory committees, and terminating former CDC Director Susan Monarez after conflicts over vaccine policy.
Dr. Sean O’Leary, head of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ infectious diseases committee, criticized the CDC’s new guidance, stating, “This is madness. Vaccines do not cause autism, and unfortunately, we can no longer trust health-related information coming from our government.”
The Department of Health and Human Services has yet to provide a comment regarding the updated guidance or Kennedy’s role in it.
