Health and Human Services⁢ Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. personally instructed the Centers for Disease ⁤Control and Prevention (CDC) ⁣to alter language on‍ a webpage concerning the link between vaccines and autism, according to an interview with The ⁣New York Times published Thursday, November 21, 2025.

The revised CDC website now states that the‍ assertion “vaccines do not cause autism” is “not ⁣an evidence-based ⁤claim.”⁢ This change represents ⁤a meaningful departure from decades of scientific research and⁤ the established consensus of⁤ the⁣ medical and scientific communities. The ⁤updated page also alleges that government health authorities have historically disregarded a potential connection between ⁣vaccines and ⁢autism.

Background: The Discredited Vaccine-Autism Link

The claim that vaccines cause autism originated with a ⁤1998 paper published in The Lancet by Andrew Wakefield. This⁤ paper, which has since been‍ retracted, was based on⁣ a small study and contained fraudulent data. Numerous subsequent studies,⁤ involving millions of children, have consistently found no link between vaccines and autism. Organizations like the CDC, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the ‍American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) all⁤ affirm the safety ⁤and efficacy ⁤of vaccines and their lack of connection to autism.

Despite ⁤the overwhelming scientific evidence,the ⁣myth persists,fueled by misinformation and anti-vaccine movements. This has led to declining vaccination rates in some areas, resulting in outbreaks of ⁢preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough.

The ‍CDC’s⁣ revised Stance: ‍A Detailed Look

The⁤ updated CDC‍ webpage doesn’t explicitly state that vaccines *cause* autism,but by labeling the statement “vaccines do not cause autism” as “not ⁣an evidence-based claim,” it creates ambiguity and lends credence to the⁣ discredited theory. The page now includes⁤ language suggesting that government agencies have suppressed research indicating a link,⁣ a claim that lacks supporting evidence.

Specifically, the revised ⁢webpage includes the following changes (as of November 21, 2025):

• removal⁢ of the definitive statement: “Vaccines do not cause autism.”
• Addition of the statement: “The claim ⁢that vaccines do not cause autism is ‍not an evidence-based claim.”
• Inclusion of text alleging a history of government suppression of research on vaccine-autism links.

RFK Jr.’s‍ Rationale and Previous Statements

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has long been a⁤ vocal proponent of the vaccine-autism link, despite the scientific consensus.he has ⁤repeatedly made claims questioning vaccine ⁣safety and efficacy, frequently enough citing debunked studies and conspiracy theories.His appointment as ⁢Health and Human Services Secretary raised concerns‍ among public ⁢health experts about the potential for anti-vaccine policies.

In his interview with The New York Times