The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its website to reflect a more cautious stance on the potential link between infant vaccines and autism. Previously, the CDC had maintained that vaccines do not cause autism, citing extensive research that has consistently found no evidence of such a connection. However, the current page states that the claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based assertion, as studies have not entirely ruled out the possibility that vaccines could be linked to autism.
This shift follows the skepticism expressed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has long questioned the conclusiveness of the research debunking the vaccine-autism link. His concerns have gained attention in public discourse, prompting the CDC to revisit its position. While the agency maintains that the scientific consensus remains that vaccines are safe and do not cause autism, the updated language signals a more nuanced acknowledgment of lingering uncertainties. The change has sparked mixed reactions, with some praising the transparency and others warning against undermining public trust in vaccines.