Healthcare groups slam CDC for changing website with misleading vaccine claims
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday changed its webpage to add language linking vaccines to autism, a move that drew the ire of many in the medical community despite numerous studies showing no link.
At the top of the page, the CDC notes that there is no evidence that vaccines do not cause autism “because research has not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines cause autism.” It also says that research supporting the link has been “overlooked” by health authorities and that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is evaluating the causes of autism “including investigations of possible biological mechanisms and potential causal relationships.”
Another headline read “Vaccines don't cause autism.” However, there is an asterisk next to it, indicating that “due to an agreement with the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, the title 'Vaccines do not cause autism' has not been removed and will remain on the CDC website.”
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has also been an outspoken critic of vaccines. He recently disbanded the CDC’s independent vaccine advisory group and replaced it with vaccine skeptics.
The American Medical Association slammed the CDC's changes to the website.
“Abundant evidence from decades of scientific research shows there is no link between vaccines and autism. Extensive and rigorous studies consistently show that vaccines are safe and effective in preventing serious disease. Vaccination is critical to protecting individuals and communities from preventable diseases, making it an essential element of public health,” said Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, MD, AMA Trustee.
Freihoff added that the American Medical Association is “deeply concerned” that “misleading claims” will lead to more confusion and harmful consequences for Americans.
The Autism Science Foundation also came out against the CDC's actions.
“The facts don’t change because of the government,” Alison Singer, president of the Autism Science Foundation, said in a statement. “At this point, it's not about doing more research; it's about being willing to accept what the existing research data clearly shows. You can't ignore data because it doesn't confirm your beliefs, but that's what the government is doing.”
Meanwhile, Autism Speaks says two of the changes are particularly concerning. First, it dismisses “strong, established evidence” by promoting outdated research, including a 20-year-old parent survey of 77 respondents. Second, it relies on “long-term implausible correlations.” It notes that autism is linked to the rise in childhood vaccines, but that “does not imply a causal link,” Autism Speaks said.
“We urge the CDC to return to fact-based language, reiterate that vaccines do not cause autism, and shift focus to research and programs that address key priorities for people with autism and their families,” the group said in a statement.
Photo: User7565abab_575, Getty Images
