Autism Science Foundation Challenges Administration’s Claims Linking Vaccines to Autism
Vaccine/Autism Link has been thoroughly studied and disproven
New York, NY — August 10, 2026 —Today, President Trump, with the support of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and NIH Director Jayanta Bhattacharya, signed an executive order directing a major overhaul of the U.S. childhood vaccination schedule, arguing that the United States recommends too many vaccines and that vaccines should be spread across more visits. They also repeatedly linked the rise in autism prevalence to vaccines despite the fact that decades of high-quality studies involving millions of children have found no evidence that vaccines cause autism.
We are deeply concerned by the repeated assertion that the increase in autism prevalence proves that an environmental toxin must be responsible. Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental condition with substantial genetic contributions and many different biological pathways. “We oppose using the autism crisis to advance hypotheses that have already been tested and repeatedly failed to demonstrate a causal connection,” said ASF President Alison Singer. “The fact that autism prevalence has increased does not make every factor that has also increased a cause of autism.”
“No environmental factor has been better-studied as a potential cause of autism than vaccines,” said ASF Chief Science Officer Dr. Alycia Halladay. “That includes vaccine ingredients as well as the body’s response to the vaccines. All this research has determined that there is no link between autism and vaccines. This is consistent across multiple studies, repeated in different countries around the world, including those mentioned in today’s press conference. Separating vaccines into multiple visits has also never been shown to prevent autism.”
“The issue is not that the science isn’t done. The science is done. The issue is that some people choose not to believe what the studies clearly show because the results don’t conform to their beliefs,” added Singer. This page contains dozens of links to studies looking at vaccines as a potential cause of autism: https://autismsciencefoundation.org/autism-and-vaccines-read-the-science/
Re-litigating the debunked vaccine-autism hypothesis diverts precious resources away from promising research around the actual causes of autism. Over the past decade, research has produced extraordinary advances in our understanding of the biology of autism. Hundreds of genes have now been associated with autism, and in approximately 20 percent of autistic individuals, a specific genetic variant can be identified as the primary cause of their condition. Advances in developmental neuroscience have demonstrated that differences in brain development are present during prenatal life, well before vaccines are administered.
The Autism Science Foundation supports independent, rigorous research into the causes and biology of autism, including genetics, gene-environment interactions, metabolic pathways, and environmental factors. We also urge continued investment in research into treatments, supports, and interventions for autistic people, particularly those with profound autism who have the most significant support needs.
About the Autism Science Foundation
The Autism Science Foundation (ASF) is a 501(c)(3) public charity that provides funding to scientists and organizations conducting autism research. ASF also provides information about autism to the general public and serves to increase awareness of autism spectrum disorders and the needs of individuals and families affected by autism. To learn more about the Autism Science Foundation or to make a donation, visit www.autismsciencefoundation.org.
ASF Media Contact:
C.J. Volpe
Autism Science Foundation
cvolpe@autismsciencefoundation.org