Claims that vaccines cause autism have led some parents to delay or refuse vaccines for their children. The most common claims are that autism is caused by the MMR vaccine, vaccines that contain thimerosal, or too many vaccines. Many scientific studies have been done to test these claims. None has shown any correlation between vaccines and autism.
Immunize.org
Materials for Providers
Need Help Responding to Vaccine-Hesitant Parents?
A list of science-based materials available from respected organizations.
Materials for Vaccine Recipients
Clear Answers and Smart Advice About Your Baby’s Shots
Written by Dr. Ari Brown, clear answers to parents’ questions about vaccines.
- Also available in:
- Russian
These articles are provided for parents and practitioners to compare the balance of evidence.
More From Immunize.org
Printable resources and links to partner organizations to help you address hesitancy related to vaccination-related anxiety.
Printable resources designed to help healthcare professionals in all aspects of immunization practice.
Immunize.org experts answer challenging questions about vaccines.
Information sheets produced by CDC that explain both the benefits and risks of a vaccine to vaccine recipients.
Real-life accounts of suffering and loss.
From our affiliated site VaccineInformation.org, information about the importance of vaccines and answers to many common questions.
CDC ∙ FDA ∙ WHO
CDC
Statement from CDC, includes links to many resources and references.
Includes basics, treatments, research, diagnosis, data, free materials, and articles.
Trusted Organizations
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
Information about autism for parents.
Collection of articles that reject the link between vaccines and autism.
Information to help parents and caregivers better understand the issues.
Autism Science Foundation
The nonprofit Autism Science Foundation supports autism research and provides information about autism to the general public and serves to increase awareness of autism spectrum disorders.
Data from several studies show no relationship between vaccines and autism.
Guidance about how to talk to parents about vaccines using the CASE method: Corroborate, About Me, Science, and Explain/Advice.
A colorful and informative 14-page document with helpful resources for parents. It was co-created by the Autism Science Foundation and Vaccinate Your Family to help improve communications about vaccines and autism between healthcare professionals and parents.
Autism Society of America
The nonprofit Autism Society of America, including its nationwide network of affiliates, connects people to the resources they need through education, advocacy, support, information and referral, and community programming.
The Vaccine Education Initiative (VEI) resources available at this site are designed to increase vaccine confidence and access for people with autism and other developmental disabilities.
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Vaccine Education Center (VEC)
Deals with three main concerns: the MMR vaccine, thimerosal, and the idea that babies receive too many vaccines too soon. A Spanish-language version is also available.
Examination of the “Wakefield studies”, showing that MMR vaccine does not cause autism, as well as other causes of autism (includes references).
Author Paul A. Offit, MD, recounts the history of autism research and the exploitation of this tragic condition by advocates and zealots. (Columbia University Press, 2008: 328 pages)
National Academy of Medicine
The National Academy of Medicine is an impartial group of the world’s leading experts that advises Congress on science issues. After reviewing more than 200 studies in 2004 and more than 1,000 studies in 2011-12, its consensus report strongly states the evidence did not show a link between vaccines and autism.
A 2012 analysis of more than 1,000 research articles concludes that few health problems are caused by or clearly associated with vaccines.
A 2002 study from the National Academy of Medicine, an impartial group of the world’s leading experts that advises Congress on science issues.
Vaxopedia
A series of brief articles on vaccines and autism that have been published on Vaxopedia.
More than 20 organizations state there is no link between vaccines and autism.
Additional Resources
These findings demonstrate that there is no harmful connection between the MMR vaccine and autism, even among children at a higher risk for autism. (JAMA, April 21, 2015)
The study found no persuasive evidence that the MMR vaccination and increasing thimerosal dose is associated with a higher risk of autism. (Vaccine, May 15, 2015)
The study strongly supports that the MMR vaccination does not increase the risk for autism, does not trigger autism in susceptible children, and is not associated with clustering of autism cases after vaccination. (Annals of Internal Medicine, April 16, 2019)
A summary of pertinent evidence related to the more common vaccine safety controversies, as discussed with primary care providers. (Clinical Infectious Diseases, August 15, 2019)
A blog discussing autism news, science, and opinions.
This is an archived site and is no longer maintained. However, Neurodiversity in Business (NiB) has saved the site as it’s of historical interest and is full of excellent information on autism research and investigations into dangerous treatments for autism.
Videos
In this video from the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, a parent of a child with autism shares her family’s story of educating themselves on vaccine safety and addresses additional concerns present in the Hispanic community.
There is almost no topic in health and health policy that immediately polarizes people more than the idea that vaccines cause autism. Even though the original big paper on this topic came out at the end of the last century, the anger this causes is still raw and potent. But there is a very, very large amount of research showing that vaccines and autism are unrelated.
Paul A. Offit, MD, of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, discusses common concerns related to vaccines and autism and reviews some of the scientific studies.
Video FAQs
In this series of brief video clips from Vaccinate Your Family, Dr. Paul Offit, Dr. Mark Sawyer, Ms. Alison Singer, and Dr. Mary Beth Koslap-Petraco, experts in the field of immunizations and infectious disease, reply to common questions about vaccines and when they are needed.
Vaccine Questions?
Email CDC at nipinfo@cdc.gov