A new scientific review by the World Health Organization (WHO) has reaffirmed that vaccines do not cause autism, pushing back against persistent claims circulating in the United States that suggest a link between immunisation and the developmental condition. The analysis, released by the WHO’s Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety, examined decades of research and found no evidence of a causal relationship between vaccines and autism. The findings come at a time of renewed controversy after the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently revised language on its website in a way that critics say weakens its long-standing, science-based position on vaccine safety.
Speaking at a press conference in Geneva, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the organisation’s conclusions were unequivocal. “Based on the available evidence, there is no causal link between vaccines and autism,” he said, stressing that autism is not a side-effect of immunisation. The committee reviewed 31 major studies conducted across multiple countries over a 15-year period.
These studies focused in particular on vaccines containing thiomersal, a mercury-based preservative used to prevent bacterial and fungal contamination in multidose vials, as well as aluminium adjuvants, which help strengthen immune responses. According to the WHO, neither substance was found to be associated with autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders. “This is the fourth comprehensive review of the evidence,” Tedros said.
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“Similar assessments in 2002, 2004 and 2012 all reached the same conclusion: vaccines do not cause autism.” The renewed attention on the issue follows growing concern among scientists and public health experts over the influence of US Health Secretary A major new review by the World Health Organization has once again confirmed that vaccines do not cause autism, directly countering claims that continue to circulate in parts of the United States and elsewhere. Speaking at a media briefing in Geneva, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the organization had released an updated scientific analysis that found no evidence of a causal relationship between immunisation and autism or other neurodevelopmental conditions. The findings come at a time of growing concern among global health experts about the spread of vaccine misinformation.
The review was conducted by the Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety, which assessed 31 large scale studies carried out across several countries over a 15 year period. The research focused on vaccines containing thiomersal, a preservative used to prevent contamination in multi dose vials, as well as aluminium adjuvants that help strengthen immune responses. Based on the available evidence, the committee concluded that there is no link between these vaccine components and autism.
Tedros said the findings were consistent with earlier reviews conducted in 2002, 2004 and 2012, all of which reached the same conclusion. “Autism is not a side effect of vaccines,” Tedros told reporters. “While vaccines, like all medical products, can have side effects that are carefully monitored, autism is not among them.”
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