CDC Downplays Autism-Vaccine Link

Photo: Juan Jose Gutierrez Barrow / Istock

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A day after news broke about the first government settlement that pivoted on a child's autism being caused by vaccines, federal health officials tried to spin the news, and argue that parents are better off vaccinating their children against known deadly and debilitating diseases.

Study after study has shown no credible link between the mercury preservative thimerosal used in some vaccines and autism spectrum disorders, despite mercury's known neurotoxic properties.

This week, a federal vaccine court has ruled in favor of a Georgia girl, Hannah, whose rare condition was made worse by a vaccine, resulting in an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis.

Some parents have long argued that the startling rise in autism diagnoses (1 in 150 children is now diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder) is linked to the mercury preservative thimerosal that was once commonly used in childhood vaccines. Studies have discounted that link.

"Many experts," according to the Los Angeles Times, say that Hannah's case is unique and that her rare condition led to a rare consequence. They say her case should not be extrapolated to the thousands of other autistic children whose parents think they were harmed by the vaccines."

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been a controversial advocate of the vaccine-autism link. This video shows an MSNBC interview with RFK Jr.

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