In The Politics of Autism, I analyze the myth that vaccines cause autism. This bogus idea can hurt people by allowing diseases to spread. Examples include measles, COVID, flu, and polio. Trump has long spread antivaccine misinformation. A top antivaxxer is HHS Secretary RFK Jr. He is part of the "Disinformation Dozen." He helped cause a deadly 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa.
From the Annenberg Public Policy Center:
No evidence vaccines cause autism: About two-thirds of the public (65%) say it is false to claim that vaccines given to children for diseases like measles, mumps, and rubella cause autism, though that represents a significant decrease from prior years (June 2021-July 2024), when 70-74% of the public agreed it was false to link autism with vaccines. In 2004, the National Academy of Medicine (then named the Institute of Medicine) determined that “the body of epidemiological evidence favors rejection of a causal relationship between the MMR vaccine and autism evidence.” The CDC, on a web page dated Dec. 20, 2024 (accessed Oct. 29), wrote that “studies have shown that there is no link between receiving vaccines and developing ASD” (autism spectrum disorder).
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No evidence of an autism-thimerosal link: Thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative used in some vaccines since the 1930s, has been the target of unfounded and misleading claims by anti-vaccine advocates, including claims that it is ineffective, a neurotoxin, and may be tied to autism. In its 2004 report, the National Academy of Medicine determined that evidence “favors rejection of a causal relationship between thimerosal-containing vaccines and autism.” Numerous studies since have also supported thimerosal’s safety, according to FactCheck.org. Thimerosal has not been in childhood vaccines other than flu vaccines since 2001. In July 2025, Kennedy signed off on recommendations by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to remove thimerosal from U.S. flu vaccines.
Asked about any connection between thimerosal and autism, half of those surveyed (51%) are not sure whether thimerosal increases, decreases, or has no effect on the chances that a person getting a vaccine will develop autism. Over a third (37%) correctly say it has no effect on the chances of developing autism, and 10% say it increases the chances.
