The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is planning a large study into potential connections between vaccines and autism, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. The move comes amid one of the largest measles outbreaks in the US in recent years, fueled by declining vaccination rates.
US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr has long questioned the safety of combined vaccines for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), despite extensive scientific research debunking such links. In a cabinet meeting last week, he downplayed news of a child’s measles death in Texas, calling it an “ordinary” event.
The CDC plans to investigate autism diagnoses in relation to vaccination rates, as concerns over the condition have risen since 2000. However, many researchers attribute the increase to better screening and diagnostic methods, rather than vaccines.
In 1998, a now-debunked study suggested a link between MMR shots and autism, but subsequent research has found no conclusive evidence of such a connection. The causes of autism remain unclear, with some scientists suggesting that neurological characteristics may develop in utero.
President Donald Trump has expressed concern over the rise in autism diagnoses among children, saying he wants to “find out what it is.” US Health Secretary Kennedy’s views on vaccines have drawn criticism from some Republicans, who are concerned about his potential influence on public health policy.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-cdc-plans-study-into-vaccines-autism-sources-say-2025-03-07