The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) plans to conduct a study on the potential connection between vaccines and autism, despite overwhelming scientific evidence showing no link between the two. The move has sparked concerns among public health experts and vaccine advocates.
Anti-vaccine activist Robert Kennedy has long claimed that vaccines cause autism, despite being debunked by numerous studies. President Trump also mentioned the rising rates of autism in his address to Congress this week, while linking vaccines to the condition.
However, the CDC says it will leave no stone unturned in its mission to figure out what’s happening with the surge in autism cases. The agency is using data from its Vaccine Safety Datalink, which monitors vaccine safety and detects adverse events following immunization.
Researchers have long attributed the rise in autism cases to increased awareness of the disorder and changes in how it’s classified by medical professionals. But scientists say there are other factors, including genetic and environmental ones, that could be playing roles too.
Experts warn that any effort to conduct more research on this topic is a waste of taxpayer dollars, as it has already been extensively studied. “Vaccines do not cause autism,” said Alison Singer, president of the Autism Science Foundation. The CDC’s study is seen as a potential threat to the public health, particularly among families with children with autism.
The agency will provide high-quality research and transparency, according to its statement. However, critics argue that it’s time to focus on finding actual causes of autism rather than studying a debunked theory. “This is just a waste of money at a time when critically needed autism research is being cut,” Singer said.
As the CDC begins this new study, experts are urging caution and calling for evidence-based decision-making. The agency must balance its mission to understand the link between vaccines and autism with the need to protect public health and avoid misleading the public.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/03/07/vaccines-trump-autism-reseasrch