WSNA statement on new CDC language regarding autism and vaccines

The Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) unequivocally rejects language recently posted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on its website stating that:

“The claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim because studies have not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines cause autism.”

This statement misrepresents decades of rigorous scientific evidence. It risks undermining public trust in vaccines—one of the most studied and effective public health interventions of our time. It represents a sharp shift in the CDC’s longstanding, science-based position. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has stated that he personally instructed the CDC to make this change.

For more than 25 years, large cohort studies, case-control studies, meta-analyses, and long-term surveillance involving millions of children worldwide have consistently found no causal link between infant vaccines and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The strength and consistency of this research place the vaccine–autism question among the most thoroughly evaluated topics in pediatric health care.

Suggesting that vaccines might cause autism simply because science cannot “rule out” every hypothetical scenario applies an impossible standard—one that no medical intervention or everyday activity could meet. This language is completely misleading and out of alignment with the most basic principles of sound scientific reasoning. It is based on ideology, not on science.

The original claim connecting vaccines and autism stemmed from a now-retracted paper involving falsified data and severe ethical violations. Since then, extensive research has reaffirmed that no evidence supports such a link. Framing autism as a potential vaccine injury not only contradicts the evidence; it also perpetuates harmful stigma toward autistic individuals and distracts from meaningful research into the true genetic and environmental contributors to neurodevelopment.

Nurses are consistently ranked the most trusted profession in the United States. We witness firsthand how misinformation fuels vaccine hesitancy, delays immunization, and leads to preventable disease outbreaks. The American Nurses Association Code of Ethics for Nurses requires us to provide accurate, evidence-based information, to correct misinformation that threatens public well-being, and to advocate for policies grounded in scientific consensus. The CDC’s recent language sharply conflicts with these ethical obligations and risks further erosion of public trust.

We call on the CDC to remove this harmful misinformation immediately.

Approved by WSNA Executive Committee, Nov. 20, 2025