The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has quietly rewritten its official webpage on vaccines and autism, introducing new language that dramatically departs from decades of public-health messaging and immediately ignited nationwide controversy.

The updated CDC page now states that the claim “vaccines do not cause autism” is “not an evidence-based claim,” asserting that studies have “not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines cause autism.” The site also adds that “studies supporting a link have been ignored by health authorities.”

This is a striking shift from the CDC’s long-standing position, which previously declared that “studies have shown that there is no link” between childhood vaccinations and autism spectrum disorder.

Compounding the confusion, the original header — “Vaccines do not cause autism” — remains on the page, but with an asterisk explaining that it was left in place due to a prior agreement rather than because it is supported by scientific evidence.

The CDC further notes that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has launched a “comprehensive assessment” into the causes of autism, including examinations of “plausible biologic mechanisms and potential causal links.”

The sudden language change has drawn heavy criticism from leading medical organizations, autism-advocacy groups, and public-health officials, many of whom say the CDC is reversing decades of clear scientific consensus for reasons that appear political rather than data-driven. Multiple experts warned that the new wording risks undermining public confidence in vaccines, potentially leading to lower vaccination rates and an increase in preventable diseases.

The update comes amid heightened scrutiny of federal health agencies and follows the appointment of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent figure known for longstanding claims about vaccine risks. Critics fear the CDC’s revised language reflects political pressure rather than scientific rigor.

The agency has not yet commented publicly on why the changes were made or whether further revisions are expected.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)