The World Health Organization’s vaccine safety committee announced on Thursday that a recent analysis of scientific data has once again confirmed that there is no connection between vaccines and autism spectrum disorder. This reaffirms the same conclusion made over twenty years ago. The WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety reviewed two comprehensive studies that included research published between 2010 and August 2025.
The evaluations focused on vaccines in general and those containing thiomersal, a mercury-based preservative that has been falsely linked to autism by some critics. However, numerous scientific studies have consistently refuted this claim. The committee emphasized that a causal relationship between vaccines and health conditions is only established when multiple high-quality studies consistently demonstrate a statistical correlation.
According to the WHO, out of 31 studies analyzed, 20 found no proof of any connection between vaccines and autism. On the other hand, eleven studies that indicated a possible link were found to have significant methodological shortcomings and a high risk of bias, as per the committee’s assessment.
In a recent interview with the New York Times, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. revealed that he personally directed the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to change its longstanding stance that vaccines do not lead to autism.
