The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is pushing a widely discredited theory, suggesting the existence of a so-called link between vaccines and autism, and claiming that studies supporting the connection “have been ignored by health authorities.”
The debunked theory was posted on an updated section of the CDC’s website under the topic “Autism and Vaccines” on Wednesday.
“The statement ‘Vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim,” the website now says. “Scientific studies have not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines contribute to the development of autism. However, this statement has historically been disseminated by the CDC and other federal health agencies within HHS to prevent vaccine hesitancy.”
The agency added that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services “has launched a comprehensive assessment of the causes of autism, including investigations on plausible biologic mechanisms and potential causal links.”
It said, “This webpage will be updated with gold-standard science.”
