The World Health Organization's (WHO) Committee on Vaccine Safety announced today that the latest reviews of scientific evidence reaffirm that there is no link between vaccines and autism spectrum disorders.
The WHO's Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety analyzed two systematic reviews covering studies published from 2010 to August 2025, Reuters reported.
The reviews included vaccines in general, as well as vaccines containing thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative that has for years been the target of unsubstantiated claims that it contributes to autism.
According to the committee, causation is only considered when multiple high-quality studies consistently show a statistically significant association.
Among the 31 studies analyzed, 20 found no evidence of a link between vaccines and autism.
The remaining 11 studies, which suggested a possible association, were assessed as methodologically weak, with a high risk of bias.
The WHO announcement comes after US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told the New York Times last month that he had ordered the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to reconsider its long-held position that vaccines do not cause autism.