Response to CDC’s Vaccines and Autism Page

The Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM) joins the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the Autism Society of America (ASA), and other national partners in raising deep concern about recent changes to the CDC’s website that imply uncertainty about the well-established scientific consensus on autism and vaccines.

Public institutions have a responsibility to communicate clearly, accurately, and in ways that uphold the dignity and humanity of autistic people. When government agencies publish messaging that suggests doubt where decades of rigorous research show clarity, it creates confusion, fuels mistrust, and harms autistic individuals and their families.

For more than 25 years, researchers and medical professionals across the globe have thoroughly examined the claim that vaccines cause autism. All have come to the same conclusion: vaccines are not linked to autism. Large-scale studies involving millions of children—conducted by independent scientists, universities, and global health organizations—have repeatedly confirmed this. The only study that ever suggested a connection was later exposed as fraudulent, retracted, and fully discredited.

Autism is a complex developmental disability shaped by genetics and early brain development. It is not caused by vaccines, and it should never be used as a tool to provoke fear. As the American Academy of Pediatrics notes, returning to disproven claims distracts from pressing needs in children’s health, worsens parental anxiety, and diverts attention away from meaningful support for autistic people.

Amplifying false claims about autism and vaccines takes valuable time and resources away from what truly matters: access to services, inclusion, community support, and respect for autistic people’s lived experiences. Autistic individuals and their families deserve evidence-based guidance—not misinformation that fuels stigma or undermines trust in lifesaving immunizations.

AuSM stands with national medical and disability organizations in calling on the CDC to return to its long-standing commitment to evidence-based public health communication.

Read the full statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (co-signed by the Autism Society of America):
https://www.aap.org/en/news-room/news-releases/aap/2025/statement-from-leading-medical-health-and-patient-advocacy-groups-on-cdc-autism-website-changes/?fbclid=IwY2xjawONhptleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeZC_vZAO-zVsUrRBbkoX89dRKQfrfK9LBc8A6t9RO-w3RNvbEEDzihFyaikU_aem_OVyhArK9I4sGjhv0xR_6UQ

Key Points

• The AAP, ASA, and partner organizations are alarmed by CDC language that promotes the outdated, disproven idea that vaccines cause autism.
• More than 25 years of global research consistently shows no link between vaccines and autism.
• Using autism as a scare tactic is harmful and fuels stigma against autistic people and their families.
• False claims distract from urgent needs in children’s health and divert resources away from supports that help autistic people thrive.
• Vaccines are one of the greatest medical success stories, preventing serious illness and saving lives.
• Public health communication must remain grounded in evidence, accuracy, and dignity.
• Autistic people deserve respect, inclusion, and meaningful investment in their real needs—not misinformation.

AuSM remains committed to sharing accurate, evidence-based information and advocating for a Minnesota where autistic people and their families are understood, supported, and valued.