The US national public health information website is now linking vaccines to autism. The Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) vaccine safety information was changed yesterday, to say that a link between vaccines and autism cannot be ruled out.

On the autism and vaccines part of the site, it now says at the top in what they call “key points”:

The claim “vaccines do not cause autism” is not evidence-based because studies have not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines cause autism.

It goes on to explain this in a section confusingly titled Vaccines do not cause Autism*:

Scientific studies have not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines contribute to the development of autism. However, this statement has historically been disseminated by the CDC and other federal health agencies within HHS [Health and Human Services] to prevent vaccine hesitancy.

It continues:

HHS has launched a comprehensive assessment of the causes of autism, including investigations on plausible biologic mechanisms and potential causal links. This webpage will be updated with gold-standard science that results from the HHS comprehensive assessment of the causes of autism as required by the DQA [Data Quality Act].

CDC — this has got ‘brainworms’ written all over it

What’s clear here is that this is something that has been pushed by RFK ‘Brainworms’ Jr on his mission to cure autism. The CDC, for a long time, has taken the stance that vaccines do not cause autism. This is, of course, backed up by a lot of evidence. RFK, however, is an anti-vaxxer and was a central part of the Trump organisation’s ridiculous Autism Announcement — where they decided that autism was caused by pregnant people taking Tylenol (paracetamol).

Whilst the update to the page claims scientific studies support the link between autism and vaccines, no such studies are linked. In fact, the four studies highlighted in a table all show there is no evidence to link the two. These studies span from 1991 to 2021, and two of them were conducted by the HHS, which Kennedy now runs and is spending an untold amount to try and cure autism.

Trump administration up to its usual dirty tricks

If you scroll further down the site to the bottom, the asterisk is explained:

The header “Vaccines do not cause autism” has not been removed due to an agreement with the chair of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee that it would remain on the CDC website.

The chair of the committee mentioned is Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy. He played a key role in approving Kennedy as Health Secretary. He initially opposed the nomination, but voted for him after being assured that, among other things, the CDC wouldn’t remove language from the CDC site saying that vaccines don’t cause autism.

So basically what they’ve done here is an absolute cunt’s trick. Because whilst the sentence “vaccines don’t cause autism” remains, the rest of the page completely contradicts that. This means RFK — childishly — hasn’t technically broken his agreement with Cassidy.

The change was also something CDC staff weren’t consulted on. Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, a celebrated US scientist who resigned from the agency in August, said:

The scientists did not participate in its creation and the data are unvetted.

Two current scientists at the CDC who wished to remain anonymous so they don’t lose their jobs told NPR the updates are:

a glaring red flag that indicate the vaccine information on the agency website is no longer credible, and is instead “anti-science.”

CDC change faces expected criticism

Cassidy said on Twitter:

I’m a doctor who has seen people die from vaccine-preventable diseases. What parents need to hear right now is vaccines for measles, polio, hepatitis B and other childhood diseases are safe and effective and will not cause autism. Any statement to the contrary is wrong, irresponsible, and actively makes Americans sicker.

However, it’s worth noting that Cassidy does blame “external toxins” that pregnant people can be exposed to as one of the possible causes for autism and supports genetic testing.

The change has been massively criticised by experts

Dr Susan J Kressly, president of the American Academy of Paediatrics, said:

Anyone repeating this harmful myth is misinformed or intentionally trying to mislead parents. We call on the CDC to stop wasting government resources to amplify false claims that sow doubt in one of the best tools we have to keep children healthy and thriving: routine immunizations.

The Autism Science Foundation is also having none of it. They also told NPR:

The new statement shows a lack of understanding of the term ‘evidence’

What will RFK decide causes autism next?

One expert, Dr Paul Offitt hits the nail on the head:

They might as well say chicken nuggets might cause autism because you can’t prove that either.

This, of course, is just hyperbole, but it makes about as much sense as the rest of RFK’s claims. He’s already had to admit paracetamol doesn’t cause autism and believes all food is “poison.” So chicken nuggets probably fucking will be the next thing that causes autism.

Featured image via Reuters