The CDC’s updated page about vaccines and autism exploits a fearmongering loophole

In utterly bleak news, AI Overviews are now more accurate about the lack of a relationship between autism and vaccines than the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

On Wednesday, November 19, the CDC published an updated web page that defies broad scientific consensus and even its own past statements. The page now alleges that “‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim because studies have not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines cause autism.” 

It must be said as early and clearly as possible that there is no link between vaccines and autism, as overwhelming data has demonstrated.

Despite that fact, the first paragraph of the CDC’s guidance on vaccines and autism now reads, “Scientific studies have not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines contribute to the development of autism.”

The update exploits a loophole that allows for fearmongering to continue, experts say.

“The CDC can justify changing its stance despite overwhelming evidence by exploiting a quirk of logic: you can’t prove something never happens,” writes Dr. Jake Scott, a board-certified infectious diseases specialist and clinical associate professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. “Scientists can’t prove vaccines never cause autism because proving a universal negative is logically impossible.”

He adds that “the public can trust the evidence because it has shown time and time again that there is no link between vaccines and autism.”

Debra Houry, the CDC’s former chief medical officer, told the Washington Post that the CDC’s updated language “misrepresents decades of research.”

Newly updated page tops Google search results

A Google search of “vaccine autism” brings an AI Overview stating that “Scientific evidence from numerous large-scale studies has overwhelmingly demonstrated no causal link between vaccines and autism.”

The AI-generated result cites the CDC, World Health Organization, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

At the same time, the CDC’s newly updated page is one of the first links shown on Google after years of building up search credibility.

According to its priority statement, the CDC claims that it “must lead with integrity” and “serves the American public—individuals, families, and communities—who rely on accurate data, health guidance, and preventive measures.”

Yet it has published a falsehood that appears to bend to the will of U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who has peddled anti-vax conspiracies along with an unproven link between taking Tylenol while pregnant and babies developing autism. 

Kennedy was sworn in as U.S. health secretary in February—and his influence has been swift.

The next month, news broke that the CDC planned to undertake a large study into the link between vaccines and autism just as declines in vaccinations fueled measles outbreaks in children. 

Twisting an old headline

The newly updated CDC guidance is, even more confusingly, still titled, “Vaccines do not cause autism.”

It comes with an asterisk that the headline only remains because of an agreement with Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, chair of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, to keep it on the CDC website. 

In February, Cassidy spoke in favor of Kennedy as U.S. health secretary, critically stating that the latter “committed that he would work within the current vaccine approval and safety monitoring systems, and not establish parallel systems.”

Cassidy continued: “CDC will not remove statements on their website pointing out that vaccines do not cause autism.” 

The Republican senator even emphasized earlier in his speech that the evidence shows that vaccines do not cause autism. Yet now the headline is followed with efforts to disprove the scientific evidence behind it.

Fast Company has reached out to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Senator Cassidy for comment and will update this post if we hear back.

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