Robert F. Kennedy Jr., currently serving as Health Secretary, confirmed he directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to revise language on its website related to vaccines and autism. The update, which now implies uncertainty about a possible link between the two, has drawn sharp criticism from medical professionals and public health experts.
Previously, the CDC page on vaccines and autism stated unequivocally that there is no link between the two. The updated version now reads, “The statement ‘Vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim,” and goes on to suggest that scientific studies have not conclusively ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines could contribute to autism.
Kennedy told The New York Times that he does not claim vaccines cause autism, but argues that the blanket denial of any connection is misleading.
“The whole thing about ‘vaccines have been tested and there’s been this determination made,’ is just a lie,” he said.
The scientific consensus remains firm: vaccines do not cause autism. The National Institutes of Health states that autism is likely caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Kennedy, who does not have a medical or scientific background, has been a longtime critic of vaccine safety narratives promoted by federal agencies.
Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, former head of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, publicly criticized the update, calling it a “national embarrassment” and warning against trusting the agency’s guidance under these circumstances.
