Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nation’s health secretary, has instructed the leaders of his nonprofit organization to remove a fake vaccine safety page that mimicked the design of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website. The page was taken offline on Saturday evening after The New York Times inquired about it.
The page, published by Children’s Health Defense, a group founded by Kennedy, made a case that vaccines cause autism, despite the fact that the CDC has consistently debunked this theory. Kennedy severed ties with the organization when he began his presidential campaign in 2023.
Kennedy, who has maintained for years that there is a link between vaccines and autism, took action after social media news of the page spread. He stated that he is dedicated to upholding evidence-based science at his department.
The fake page was nearly identical to the CDC’s website, with the same layout, typefaces, and logos. It left open the possibility that vaccines cause autism, which contradicts the CDC’s stance. The page also included links to video testimonials from parents claiming their children were harmed by vaccines.
Kennedy has a history of promoting conspiracy theories about vaccines. His department recently announced plans to re-examine evidence on the topic. The move was criticized by Senator Bill Cassidy as “legitimate scientific work.”
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/22/health/cdc-kennedy-vaccine-disinformation.html