From the Guidelines
No vaccines are associated with the development of autism, and the claim that they are is a thoroughly debunked conspiracy theory with no scientific basis. Extensive research, including a review of public health and online misinformation [ 1 ], has found no link between vaccines and autism. The original study claiming a link between the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism was found to be fraudulent and was retracted [ 1 ]. Additionally, studies have shown that vaccines are safe and effective at preventing serious diseases, and that claims of a link between vaccines and autism have no scientific basis [ 1 ]. Autism is a complex developmental condition that begins before birth, not something caused by vaccines [ 1 ]. Parents should follow recommended vaccine schedules to protect their children's health. Some key points to consider include:
- The lack of scientific evidence supporting a link between vaccines and autism [ 1 ]
- The importance of following recommended vaccine schedules to protect children's health
- The need to be aware of and critical of online misinformation regarding vaccine safety and efficacy [ 1 ]
- The complex neurobiology of autism, which suggests that it is a developmental condition that begins before birth, and is not caused by vaccines [ 1 ]
From the Research
Vaccine Association with Autism
- There is no evidence to support a causal association between any vaccine and the development of autism 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
- The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine has been specifically studied, and no link has been found between MMR vaccination and autism 2, 5, 6
- The hypothesis that vaccines, including those containing mercury, cause autism has been well researched and refuted 4, 6
- Epidemiologic studies have found no evidence of a phenotypically distinct form of autism in children who received the MMR vaccine or of a clustering of onset symptoms in children who are autistic after receiving the MMR vaccine 5
- The biological plausibility of a causal relationship between MMR vaccines and autism remains questionable, and there is a sound body of epidemiological evidence to refute the hypothesis 6
Key Findings
- Studies have consistently shown that childhood vaccination is not a cause of the sharp increase in autism diagnoses in recent decades 3, 4
- The etiology of autism is still unknown, with research continuing from different directions 4
- Despite the overwhelming data demonstrating that there is no link between vaccines and autism, many parents are hesitant to immunize their children because of the alleged association 3