The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently ‘altered’ its stance on the relationship between childhood vaccines and autism, stating that a link cannot be definitively ruled out.
This update has sparked discussions about the existing evidence concerning vaccines and autism, which can be a complex and contentious topic.
Updates from the CDC:
- Revised Statement: The CDC has changed its wording on vaccines and autism from the definitive claim “vaccines do not cause autism” to a more cautious statement saying that this assertion is not evidence-based. This means that although many studies suggest no link, they have not completely ruled out the possibility that some infant vaccines may contribute to autism.
- The updated page still features the original statement about vaccines not causing autism, but with an asterisk that refers to the update.
In 2020, the Informed Consent Action Network (ICAN) and attorney Aaron Siri sued the CDC for studies supporting the claim that certain vaccines do not cause autism.
Siri highlighted that they specifically requested evidence for five vaccines: DTaP, Hepatitis B, Hib, polio, and PCV. He stated that the CDC provided 20 studies, none of which addressed the vaccines in question.
However, the CDC update noted some evidence of higher rates of neurodevelopmental conditions with aluminum exposure, including a significant risk increase for Asperger’s syndrome.
In a major shift, the CDC has quietly reversed its position on its previously unscientific claim that “Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism.” ICAN lead counsel Aaron Siri joins Del to break down the years of FOIA’s, outreach and education, and legal action that have culminated in this inevitable reversal of stance—and to explain why the CDC has never produced the scientific proof it insisted it had.
Download and Watch: https://static.arkengine.com/video/cmi96btvp008rf63j5f1d11pn/file/mp4/CDC%20WALKS%20BACK%20DECADES-OLD%20CLAIM%20VACCINES%20DO%20NOT%20CAUSE%20AUTISM.mp4 [copy and paste the link ]
Below is a list of key figures who have publicly spoken about or advocated for this theory, based on historical records, public statements, and recent developments.
| Name | Role/Background | Key Claims or Actions |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Wakefield | Former British physician and researcher | Authored the 1998 fraudulent Lancet paper falsely linking MMR vaccine to autism; retracted in 2010 after being struck off the medical register for misconduct. Directed anti-vax film Vaxxed (2016) and continues activism, influencing global vaccine hesitancy. |
| Robert F. Kennedy Jr. | Environmental lawyer, anti-vaccine activist, U.S. HHS Secretary (as of 2025) | Longtime promoter of thimerosal-mercury link to autism; founded Children’s Health Defense, which sues over vaccine safety. In 2025, directed CDC website changes to suggest vaccines might cause autism, claiming studies “ignored” links. |
| Del Bigtree | Producer, anti-vaccine activist | Former communications director for RFK Jr.; leads Informed Consent Action Network (ICAN), which sued CDC leading to 2025 website changes. Produced Vaxxed and hosts The HighWire podcast spreading autism-vaccine myths. |
| Jenny McCarthy | Actress, author, activist | In the 2000s, claimed her son’s autism was vaccine-induced on Oprah and in books; co-founded Generation Rescue, funding anti-vax efforts despite later admitting no “cure” but still questioning vaccines. |
| Jim Carrey | Actor, activist | Dated Jenny McCarthy; publicly endorsed her vaccine-autism claims in 2008 TIMEop-eds and protests, calling for thimerosal removal, though later distanced himself. |
| Donald Trump | Former U.S. President | During 2015-2016 campaign, tweeted and stated vaccines cause autism; met with RFK Jr. in 2018 to discuss “investigating” the link, amplifying the myth via social media. |
| Mark Blaxill | Author, anti-vaccine advocate | Co-author of Denial (2010), arguing vaccines cause autism epidemic; appointed to CDC advisory role in 2025 under RFK Jr., promoting flawed studies on aluminum in vaccines. |
| Lyn Redwood | Nurse, anti-vaccine activist | Former president of SafeMinds; testified to Congress on thimerosal-autism link; in 2025, appointed to CDC, pushing claims that “ignored” studies show vaccine causation. |
| David Geier | Researcher (discredited) | Co-authored flawed papers claiming thimerosal causes autism; lost medical license for unethical treatments; appointed to CDC in 2025, influencing autism-vaccine page revisions. |
| David Kirby | Journalist, author | Wrote Evidence of Harm (2005), alleging mercury in vaccines causes autism; testified at congressional hearings, fueling early 2000s scare. |
| Bernard Rimland (deceased) | Psychologist, founder of Autism Research Institute | Early promoter (1960s-2000s) of vaccine overload and thimerosal as autism causes; influenced modern anti-vax groups despite initial pro-vaccine stance. |
| Boyd Haley | Chemist, professor emeritus | Claims ethylmercury in vaccines causes autism via oxidative stress; testified in vaccine court cases and funds research supporting the link. |
Ref:
- https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/123/2/475.full
- https://archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/thimerosal/index.html
- https://thehighwire.com/news/ican-releases-recordings-of-fdas-peter-marks-vaccine-official-dismissed-covid-19-injuries/
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