NEW YORK (PulseWire) — A recent change to a webpage by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has ignited outrage from public health officials and autism experts alike. The CDC's vaccine safety webpage, which previously asserted that vaccines do not cause autism, now states that this claim is 'not an evidence-based claim.' The revision comes amid concerns that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under the leadership of Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is undermining long-standing scientific consensus on vaccine safety.
Widespread scientific opinion, supported by decades of research, has concluded definitively that there is no link between vaccines and autism. 'The evidence is clear and unambiguous,' stated Dr. Susan Kressly, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, expressing her shock at the CDC's revision.
Opponents of the updated claim have voiced their discontent, with the Autism Science Foundation denouncing the CDC's moves as filled with 'anti-vaccine rhetoric and outright lies.' They emphasize that such public statements could lead to reduced vaccination rates and threaten public health.
Until now, CDC guidelines have emphasized the absence of a relationship between vaccines and autism. However, the updated content seems to align with claims made by anti-vaccine activists who have long sought to question vaccine safety.
While the webpage retains the headline 'Vaccines do not cause autism,' an asterisk notes that this phrasing remains as a result of an agreement with Senate health committee leaders. Critics fear the integrity of the CDC's communications regarding vaccine safety may now be compromised, with several scientists within the organization reportedly caught off guard by the unexpected change. Dr. Debra Houry, a former CDC official, stated that cutting scientists out of review processes leads to misinformation. Further investigations by HHS into potential causes of autism have raised additional alarms, as critics worry these initiatives may manipulate scientific evidence.
This controversy calls into question how federal health agencies publicly present vital health information and the possible repercussions for community health and safety.
Widespread scientific opinion, supported by decades of research, has concluded definitively that there is no link between vaccines and autism. 'The evidence is clear and unambiguous,' stated Dr. Susan Kressly, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, expressing her shock at the CDC's revision.
Opponents of the updated claim have voiced their discontent, with the Autism Science Foundation denouncing the CDC's moves as filled with 'anti-vaccine rhetoric and outright lies.' They emphasize that such public statements could lead to reduced vaccination rates and threaten public health.
Until now, CDC guidelines have emphasized the absence of a relationship between vaccines and autism. However, the updated content seems to align with claims made by anti-vaccine activists who have long sought to question vaccine safety.
While the webpage retains the headline 'Vaccines do not cause autism,' an asterisk notes that this phrasing remains as a result of an agreement with Senate health committee leaders. Critics fear the integrity of the CDC's communications regarding vaccine safety may now be compromised, with several scientists within the organization reportedly caught off guard by the unexpected change. Dr. Debra Houry, a former CDC official, stated that cutting scientists out of review processes leads to misinformation. Further investigations by HHS into potential causes of autism have raised additional alarms, as critics worry these initiatives may manipulate scientific evidence.
This controversy calls into question how federal health agencies publicly present vital health information and the possible repercussions for community health and safety.
