The Dangerous Myth That Vaccines Cause Autism: A Call for Science and Inclusion (by Dr Karina Barley)

Let’s be absolutely clear—vaccines do NOT cause autism. This myth has been debunked repeatedly by extensive scientific research, yet it stubbornly persists, fueled by misinformation, fear and ableist narratives that undermine both public health and the neurodivergent community.

In recent developments, both President Donald Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have perpetuated the debunked myth that vaccines cause autism. During a December 2024 event, President Trump inaccurately claimed that autism rates have escalated from "1 in 10,000" to "1 in 36" over the past 25 years, suggesting a link to vaccination schedules. Similarly, Secretary Kennedy, during his January 2025 confirmation hearings, refused to acknowledge the overwhelming scientific consensus that vaccines do not cause autism, instead citing flawed studies to support his stance. These assertions not only contradict extensive research but also pose significant risks to public health by fostering vaccine hesitancy and undermining trust in medical science. In recent statements, President Donald Trump has also perpetuated misinformation regarding the causes of autism, suggesting potential links to vaccines and chemical exposures. These assertions contradict extensive scientific research that has found no causal link between vaccines or pesticide exposure and autism. Such misinformation can undermine public trust in established health practices and contribute to vaccine hesitancy, posing significant risks to public health.

The Origins of the Myth: Andrew Wakefield’s Fraud

The false claim that vaccines cause autism can be traced back to Andrew Wakefield, a former British doctor who published a now-retracted 1998 study in The Lancet that linked the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine to autism (Wakefield et al., 1998). However, his study was riddled with fraud, conflicts of interest, and manipulated data.

In 2010, the General Medical Council (GMC) of the UK found Wakefield guilty of dishonesty and ethical violations (General Medical Council, 2010).
His research was fully retracted by The Lancet (Editors of The Lancet, 2010).
Subsequent investigations found that he manipulated data and had a financial conflict of interest—he was secretly paid by lawyers planning lawsuits against vaccine manufacturers (Deer, 2011).

Despite this, Wakefield remains a hero in anti-vaccine circles, spreading misinformation and contributing to vaccine hesitancy.

Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism: Overwhelming Scientific Evidence

Multiple large-scale, peer-reviewed studies have thoroughly investigated and disproved the vaccine-autism link. Here are just a few:

Danish Cohort Study (2019) – A study of 657,461 children born between 1999 and 2010 found no increased risk of autism in vaccinated children compared to unvaccinated children (Hviid et al., 2019).
CDC Study (2013) – Examined over 1,000 children and found no link between MMR vaccines and autism (DeStefano et al., 2013).
Meta-Analysis (2014) – Reviewed data from over 1.2 million children and found absolutely no evidence that vaccines cause autism (Taylor et al., 2014).
Japan Study (2005) – Even after Japan stopped using the MMR vaccine, autism rates continued to rise, proving that vaccines were not the cause (Honda et al., 2005).

The scientific consensus is overwhelming—vaccines do not cause autism.

Autism Has Always Existed—Vaccines Did Not Create It

Autism is not a modern phenomenon. Historical records suggest that autistic individuals have existed for centuries—long before modern vaccines were developed.

Leo Kanner (1943) and Hans Asperger (1944) first identified autism spectrum conditions long before vaccines became widespread.
The rise in autism diagnoses is largely due to expanded diagnostic criteria (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) and better awareness, not an actual increase in prevalence.
Studies show that autism has a strong genetic component (Sandin et al., 2017), not a link to vaccines.

Claiming vaccines cause autism ignores science and stigmatises autistic individuals.

The Dangerous Political Landscape of Vaccine Misinformation

Misinformation about vaccines is not just a fringe conspiracy theory—it has real-world consequences. Enter Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.), one of the most prominent spreaders of vaccine-related misinformation.

RFK Jr. has been repeatedly fact-checked and debunked by scientists, medical professionals, and public health organizations (Hotez, 2021).
His stance fuels vaccine hesitancy, leading to measles outbreaks and the return of preventable diseases (WHO, 2019).
His claims are deeply ableist, reinforcing the harmful idea that neurodivergence is something to be feared.

The idea that RFK Jr. could have influence over public health policy is terrifying for the autism community and a threat to public health.

Let’s Talk About Vaccines—With Science, Not Junk Theories

If people want to discuss how we vaccinate—such as spacing out doses or optimizing immune responses—those conversations should be guided by real scientific research, not junk theories.

What we should NOT do:

Promote conspiracy theories with no scientific backing.
Spread fear that puts public health at risk.
Use autism as a political tool to justify anti-vaccine rhetoric.

We Need ALL Minds—Including Autistic and Neurodivergent Ones

The autism community does not need fear, stigma, or misinformation. What it needs is:

More awareness and acceptance of neurodiversity.
Better resources and support for autistic individuals and their families.
A rejection of ableist narratives that treat autism as something to be "cured" or feared.

Suggesting that vaccines cause autism not only ignores science but also devalues the autistic community by implying that neurodiversity is undesirable. The truth is, we need all minds, including autistic and neurodivergent ones, to build a better and more inclusive society.

The fight against vaccine misinformation is not just about public health—it’s about rejecting dangerous narratives that harm marginalized communities. It’s time to put science, inclusion, and truth at the forefront.

Citations & References

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
Deer, B. (2011). How the case against the MMR vaccine was fixed. BMJ, 342, c5347. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.c5347
DeStefano, F., Price, C. S., & Weintraub, E. S. (2013). Increasing exposure to antibody-stimulating proteins and polysaccharides in vaccines is not associated with risk of autism. JAMA, 309(17), 1771-1778. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2013.272
Editors of The Lancet. (2010). Retraction—Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children. The Lancet, 375(9713), 445. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(10)60175-7
General Medical Council. (2010). Fitness to Practise Panel Hearing: Dr. Andrew Jeremy Wakefield.
Honda, H., Shimizu, Y., & Rutter, M. (2005). No effect of MMR withdrawal on the incidence of autism. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 46(6), 572-579. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2005.01425.x
Hotez, P. J. (2021). Preventing the Next Pandemic: Vaccine Diplomacy in a Time of Anti-Science. Johns Hopkins University Press.
Hviid, A., Hansen, J. V., Frisch, M., & Melbye, M. (2019). Measles, mumps, rubella vaccination and autism: A nationwide cohort study. Annals of Internal Medicine, 170(8), 513-520. https://doi.org/10.7326/M18-2101
Sandin, S., Lichtenstein, P., Kuja-Halkola, R., Larsson, H., Hultman, C. M., & Reichenberg, A. (2017). The familial risk of autism. JAMA, 317(2), 177-185. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2016.19135
Taylor, L. E., Swerdfeger, A. L., & Eslick, G. D. (2014). Vaccines are not associated with autism: An evidence-based meta-analysis of case-control and cohort studies. Vaccine, 32(29), 3623-3629. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2014.04.085
World Health Organization (WHO). (2019). Measles cases spike globally due to vaccine misinformation.