November 24, 2025
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website was changed to reflect a repeatedly debunked belief about a relationship between vaccines and autism. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) responded swiftly to denounce the false claims and remind the public of extensive research that has been conducted on the topic. “Since 1998, independent researchers across seven countries have conducted more than 40 high-quality studies involving over 5.6 million people. The conclusion is clear and unambiguous: There’s no link between vaccines and autism,” asserted Susan J. Kressly, president of AAP.
This incident underscores the importance of trusted, robust health communications rooted in research, especially as recent polling highlights the susceptibility of the general public. The Evidence Collective is one effort to identify reliable health communications resources, including trusted professional entities and social media accounts. Numerous trusted resources exist to address parents’ questions, including HealthyChildren.org (a site for parents managed by the AAP), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), and the Vaccine Education Center.
Health and human service workers should be aware of the change, and are encouraged to review client-facing resources for accuracy. Keeping clients and community residents informed now also requires efforts to curate reliable and scientifically supported information.