Research has not yet ruled out a link between vaccines and autism, CDC says after new

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its website on Wednesday. Under the new wording, the agency says the claim "vaccines do not cause autism" is not based on evidence because previous studies have not ruled out the possibility that vaccines given in childhood may be linked to autism.

The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention added that health authorities have so far ignored research showing a link between the two phenomena.

The headline "Vaccines do not cause autism" remained on the website, and the CDC said it had not removed it because of an agreement with Senator Bill Cassidy, chairman of the US Senate Health Committee.

The changes were welcomed, for example, by Children's Health Defense, an organisation led by vaccine opponent and current US Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The causes of autism are not clear, but scientific studies have repeatedly failed to show a demonstrable link between vaccination and the development of autism spectrum disorders.

(reuters, sie)