State health officials from California, Oregon, Hawaii, and Washington have released a statement addressing recent changes made to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) “Autism and Vaccines” webpage.
The West Coast Health Alliance emphasized its continued support for vaccination. According to the Alliance, extensive research involving millions of people across multiple countries over several decades has shown no link between vaccines and autism. The officials expressed concern about what they described as inaccurate claims on the CDC website regarding this topic.
In their joint statement, the Alliance said: “The West Coast Health Alliance continues to strongly recommend vaccines to protect our children, noting that rigorous research of millions of people in multiple countries over decades provides high quality evidence that vaccines are not linked to autism. The Alliance is deeply concerned about inaccurate claims to the contrary recently posted on the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.”
The statement also addressed misconceptions about autism’s causes: “Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental condition with multiple contributing genetic and environmental factors. Suggesting it stems from any single cause, such as vaccination, misleads families who deserve accurate guidance. It is not only a disservice to families seeking clarity about vaccines but also potentially harmful to autistic individuals and their families.”
Health officials reiterated that vaccines undergo thorough testing and remain vital in preventing infectious diseases. They called for public health advice on immunization to be based on credible scientific evidence in order to assist parents and caregivers who may encounter conflicting or incorrect information.
“Vaccines are thoroughly tested and remain one of the most important tools for preventing infectious diseases. Public health guidance on immunization must be grounded in credible, evidence-based science to help parents and caregivers who may be receiving conflicting or inaccurate messages about immunization,” the statement read.
The Alliance recommended that families consult trusted healthcare providers or reputable medical organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics when seeking information on vaccinations.
