Nebraska Medical Society Challenges CDC’s Updated Autism and Vaccines Statement

The Nebraska Infectious Disease Society (NIDS) issued a firm rebuttal Monday to recent changes on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website regarding vaccines and autism, emphasizing that scientific consensus remains strong on the safety of childhood immunizations.

The CDC’s “Autism and Vaccines” webpage, updated on November 19, now contains language that has alarmed medical professionals across the country. The page currently states, “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.”

In direct opposition to this modified language, NIDS released a statement asserting, “NIDS strongly affirms that extensive, rigorous and established scientific evidence shows that vaccines do not cause autism.”

Dr. Anne O’Keefe, a professor at the Creighton University School of Medicine and NIDS member, expressed concern about the potential impact of the CDC’s revised wording on public health in Nebraska.

“Vaccines are safe and effective, and the very rare risks are much less than the clear benefits,” O’Keefe emphasized in an interview following the society’s statement. She urged Nebraska families to seek information from trusted medical sources rather than unverified claims that may circulate online.

“I would start with your own physician, whether it’s your child’s pediatrician or your primary care doctor. They’re the ones that will be able to answer your specific questions,” O’Keefe advised.

The controversy comes at a challenging time for public health officials, who have battled declining vaccination rates in recent years. Medical experts worry that the CDC’s updated language could further erode public confidence in vaccines, potentially leading to increased outbreaks of preventable diseases.

The relationship between vaccines and autism has been extensively studied for decades. Multiple large-scale, peer-reviewed studies involving millions of children have found no causal link between childhood vaccines and autism spectrum disorders. This research has been conducted across numerous countries with consistent findings.

O’Keefe noted that misinformation spreading through social media platforms presents a particular challenge for medical professionals trying to communicate accurate health information.

“There’s a lot of stuff on social media that has questionable origin,” she cautioned. “I would be really careful if you’re just hearing about something from someone that heard it on social media.”

NIDS’s statement aligns with positions held by major national medical organizations, including the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Medical Association. All these organizations maintain that vaccines do not cause autism.

Public health experts have expressed confusion and dismay at the CDC’s language change, which appears to contradict decades of the agency’s own research and messaging. The CDC has historically been a leading voice in affirming vaccine safety and promoting immunization programs nationwide.

For Nebraska families navigating health decisions, NIDS emphasized that local healthcare providers remain reliable sources for evidence-based information on vaccines and child development. The society encouraged parents with concerns to schedule appointments with their healthcare providers for personalized guidance rather than relying on potentially misleading online sources.

The timing of this controversy is particularly significant as winter approaches and respiratory illness season begins in earnest, when vaccinations for influenza and other preventable diseases become increasingly important for community health protection.

Medical societies across the country are monitoring the situation closely, with many expected to join NIDS in reaffirming the scientific consensus that vaccines are safe and do not cause autism.