Anti-vaccine propaganda added to US CDC website

22 November 2025. Related: Treatment access, Activism & advocacy.

Simon Collins, HIV i-Base

The scientific value of the US CDC website as a public health resource was publicly undermined this week by publishing false and unscientific information. [1] 

Until this year the CDC was a leading independent and stable resource for public health information, including the statement, “Studies have shown there is no link between receiving vaccines and developing autism spectrum disorder.”

However, on 19 November 2025 this was replaced with new text stating that the US Department of Health and Human Services hasn’t ruled out a potential link and has launched a new investigation. No additional evidence was included to support the new assertions. The changes were made by direct instructions from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. based on his personal opinion rather than scientific consensus, apparently without the knowledge of CDC staff.

Earlier this year, Kennedy replaced the 17 standing members of the expert vaccine advisory committee with his own vaccine-sceptic appointments. [2, 3]

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This is a further attack on science that threatens US public health. The CDC also recently dropped recommendations for COVID shots for pregnant women and children.

So long as the new administration remains unchallenged, the outcomes threaten global health because the size of the US economy enables scientific research budgets that dwarf those of any European countries. Publicly funded US research has for decades supported the early development and regulatory approval of nearly every new drug for ART and PrEP, together with basic science into vaccines and trial networks that produced the mRNA COVID vaccine within a year. 

US scientific institutions have suffered large scale dismissals, including 20% of CDC employees and top leaders.

Thousands of research studies have also been cancelled, irrespective of the stage of the research, causing irreparable damage.

References

1. US CDC. Vaccines do not cause Autism*. 19 November 2025.
   https://www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/about/autism.html
2. USA Today. RFK Jr. told CDC to change website’s language on autism and vaccines. 21 November 2025.
   https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/11/21/rfk-cdc-website-autism-vaccines/87401166007
3. HTB. TAG challenges HIV vaccine cuts as Robert F. Kennedy fires entire CDC vaccine expert advisory panel. HTB 6 June 2025.
   https://i-base.info/htb/51243