Vaccines and Autism
< Back to Common Concerns | More Immunization Information >
What do we know about Immunizations & Autism?
This is probably one of the most common discussions we have with new parents. This fear that autism can be caused by vaccines began in 1993 when a researcher in the United Kingdom found some measles particles in the intestines of children with irritable bowel and regressive developmental disorders. He then collaborated with other researchers in an 1998 article about the association between the MMR vaccine and autism. The findings were based on only 12 children, there was no control population for comparison, and 4 of the 12 children had behavior problems before the MMR vaccine was given to them.
In 2004, 10 of the 13 researchers retracted their statements as there was never any evidence linking the MMR vaccine to autism.
The Centers for Disease Control continues to recommend both doses of this vaccine for all children. According to the CDC, "carefully performed scientific studies have found no relationship between MMR vaccine and autism."
For further information, please read about a study done in 2002 looking at 537,303 children in Denmark to compare the incidence of autism in vaccinated versus unvaccinated children: 2002 NAAR-funded Study on MMR & Autism Reports No Association Between Controversial Vaccine and Autism.
More useful info at CDC.gov:
- See the CDC's main page on Vaccines and Autism, where you will find historical information on data that helps us understand there is no causal relationship between vaccines and autism.
- The CDC also has a summary of studies that have been done specifically on the MMR vaccine and Autism.
- CDC Research on Vaccines and Autism
- Vaccines and Autism Fact Sheet
Articles from the National Network for Immunization Information: