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Vaccines and Autism Theory

At a glance: The weight of currently available scientific evidence does not support the hypothesis that vaccines cause autism. We recognize there is considerable public interest in this issue, and therefore support additional research regarding this hypothesis. CDC is committed to maintaining the safest, most effective vaccine supply in history.

Autism information
HHS' Autism site including information:

  • Overview
    • Autism Information Center (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
    • NINDS Autism Information Page (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
    • Autism Overview: What We Know [PDF – 605 KB] (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
    • Autism Spectrum Disorders (Pervasive Developmental Disorders) (National Institute of Mental Health)
    • Pervasive Developmental Disorders Information Page (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
    • Autism and Communication (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders)
  • Symptoms/Diagnosis
    • Developmental Screening (National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities)
    • Clinical Guideline: Screening and Diagnosis of Autism (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)
  • Treatment/Therapy
    • Autism Information Center: Treatment and Therapy (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention)
    • Autism and Communication (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders)
    • Practical Oral Care for People with Autism (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research)
  • Genetics
    • Autism and Genes [PDF - 580 KB] (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
  • Clinical Trials
    • Autistic Disorder Clinical Trials (ClinicalTrials.gov)
  • Autism and Vaccines
    • FAQs about MMR Vaccine & Autism (National Immunization Program)
    • Vaccines and Autism Theory (National Immunization Program)
    • Autism and the MMR Vaccine (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
    • Mercury and Vaccines (Thimerosal) (National Immunization Program)
    • IOM Report: No Link Between Vaccines and Autism (Food and Drug Administration)
    • Thimerosal in Vaccines: Frequently Asked Questions (Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research)
    • Thimerosol in Vaccines (Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research)
    • Fact Sheet on Vaccines and Child Health (Health and Human Services)
  • Resources for Parents
    • It's Time To Change How We View a Child's Growth (National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities)
    • Resources for Families (National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities)
    • Mental Health Services Locator (SAMHSA's National Mental Health Information Center)
    • DisabilityInfo.gov
  • Information for Children
    • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Quest (National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities)
  • Press Releases
    • July 19, 2005 - Media Briefing on Vaccines and Child Health (Health and Human Services)
    • May 16, 2005 - Parent, Pregnancy, and Birth Factors Found Possible Associations with the Risk of Autism (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
    • November 29, 2004 - Brains of People with Autism Recall Letters of the Alphabet in Brain Areas Dealing With Shapes (National Institutes of Health)
  • Research
    • Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) (National Institute of Mental Health)
    • 2005 Report to Congress on Autism Activities [PDF – 1.2 MB] (National Institute of Mental Health)
    • Autism Research (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
    • Autism Research at NIDCD (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders)
    • Autism Spectrum Disorders Research (National Institute of Mental Health)
    • NIAID Research on Thimerosal (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)
    • NIAID-Supported Studies on Mercury, Thimerosal, and Vaccine Safety (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)
    • CDC Research on Vaccines & Autism (National Immunization Program)
    • CDC Research on the Safety of Thimerosal Containing Vaccines (National Immunization Program)
    • Vaccine Safety Research (National Immunization Program)
  • State Agencies
    • Autism Information Center: State Activities (National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities)
    • State Resources (National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities)
    • State Councils on Developmental Disabilities (Administration on Developmental Disabilities)
  • Other Sites with Autism Information
    • Autism Information Center (National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities)
    • Autism: NIH Institute and Center Resources (National Institutes of Health)
    • Federal Activities and Programs Related to Autism Spectrum Disorders (National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities)
    • Vaccines (Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research)
    • National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
    • National Institute of Mental Health
    • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
    • National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

MMR vaccine and autism Fact Sheet
Key messages, and additional sources of information on MMR vaccine and autism

FAQs on theory of MMR vaccine and autism
Frequently Asked Questions on the hypothesis of MMR and Autism

CDC research on vaccines and autism
Key Messages and answers to questions about CDC research into possible links between thimerosal in childhood vaccines and neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism

IOM reports
Review the most recent and past IOM reports on the theory of the possible link between the use of the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism including:

Primary conclusions of IOM reports
Recommendations of IOM reports
Links to actual IOM reports

Autism Information Center (CDC)

General information about autism and CDC's autism research:

Definition of autism
Causes of autism
Sources for further information
References
References on autism, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), and the study of autism and vaccines.

References used to research the answers to questions about vaccines and autism
References used to research the answers to questions about vaccines and IBD
Additional references can be found at the bottom of this NIH webpage
Other Organizations:

American Academy of Pediatrics
American Medical Association
Autism Society of America
Immunization Action Coalition
National Alliance for Autism Research
National Network for Immunization Information
HHS list of related organizations

Supporting Information:

  • The MMR Decision Aid: Are you considering MMR vaccination for your child?
    Clarify what is important to you in making a decision about MMR vaccination.
  • News release from American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): Guidance to pediatricians on recognizing the early symptoms of autism and recommendations on continuing immunizations. (7 May 2001)
  • MMR Vaccine Given All Clear in United Kingdom: Independent advisory bodies advised the the Department of Health on the safety of the MMR vaccine and found that it remains the safest way to protect children.
  • Pediatric Annals update on vaccine safety: Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine and Autism: The Rise (and Fall?) of a Hypothesis. By J.L. Kastner and B.G. Gellin. Pediatric Annals 30:7/July 2001.
  • WHO statement on the use of MMR vaccine: other scientists have not been able to reproduce the results claimed by Dr Wakefield and his team regarding measles virus
  • Medical Research Council Media Release:
    No New Evidence of a Link Between MMR and Autism
  • NIH, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development: Is there any scientific evidence that proves a linkage between autism and vaccines?
  • CDC, Division of Birth Defects, Child Development, and Disability and Health: Autism in Children
  • Key messages, facts, and additional sources of information: Fact Sheet on Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Measles Vaccine
  • Answers to the following Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) questions:
    • What is IBD and what causes IBD?
    • What about studies suggesting association between measles vaccine and IBD?
    • Is there scientific evidence to show there is no association between measles vaccine and IBD?
  • In response to an article, Geier MR, Geier DA. Thimerosal in childhood vaccines, neurodevelopment disorders and heart disease in the United States. J Am Physicians Surg. 2003;8:6-11, that has received media attention, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently issued a paper, "Study Fails to Demonstrate a Connection Between Thimerosal and Autism."
    AAP Paper Rebuts Article... (112K) (Spring 2003)
    AAP article (version for screen-reader devices only) (10K)
    Letter from the Director of the National Immunization Program (NIP), Walter Orenstein to the Chief Medical Officer in the United Kingdom (U.K.), Sir Liam Donaldson. Letter reaffirms our scientific and medical support for the safety and use of combined MMR vaccine.
    Letter (20K) (Feb. 19, 2002)
    Letter (version for screen-reader devices only) (8K)

CDC

Page last modified: January 8, 2007
This page was last reviewed on 19 December 2006.

 
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