Study withdrawn: Autism does not arise from vaccinations

In social media, speculation is repeatedly circulating that autism in children can be triggered by the combination vaccine against mumps, measles and rubella (MMR). This is also claimed in a Facebook post divided into Luxembourg. In this post becomes one Article linked to the German website « The Free World ». Among other things, it claims that the US health authority CDC had fake a study. From a report, « data that showed a causal connection between the MMR vaccination and autism » were removed.

Evaluation

Despite extensive research, there is no evidence of the claim that the MMR vaccination can trigger autism. However, there are numerous studies that could not find a connection between vaccination and autism.

Facts

The alleged connection between vaccination and autism is based on a fake study Under the direction of the British gastroenterologist Andrew Wakefield, which was published in 1998 in the renowned science magazine « The Lancet ».

The publication of this study, as in an article of the “Annual Review of Virology «  From 2019 it is very detailed, to considerable uncertainty of the public. In the UK, the MMR vaccinations of children decreased significantly, while the number of illnesses and deaths increased by measles.

Study did not stand up

Wakefield claimed that it was a new syndrome he discovered. But scientistwhich checked the Wakefield paper, came to the conclusion that the available data does not prove a causal connection between the MMR vaccination and autism.

In March 2004, ten of the twelve authors of the Wakefield study said that they were no longer able to interpret the results earlier. Previously, it became known that Wakefield had received money to help prepare a lawsuit for compensation against producers of the vaccine. Some of the parents who took part in the 1998 study should have received money. The British General Medical Council withdrew Wakefield as a doctor due to « serious professional misconduct ».

In February 2010, “The Lancet« The study back after Wakefield was withdrawn. It became clear that » several elements of the work of Wakefield (…) from 1998 are wrong « .

The « German Medical Leaf «  Already in 2007, under the heading « How a vaccine was wrongly brought into abuse », had reported « a case of unscrupulous scientific misconduct and personal enrichment ». The thesis that the vaccination may lead to autism triggered « a real chic wave » in 1998. The evidence was « anything but scientifically solid »: « Most of the clues were based on statements from parents who planned a claim for damages against the vaccine manufacturers. »

The German Robert Koch Institute (RKI) refers to his website on « many large -scale international studies » that examined a possible connection. « The result: autism occurs equally frequently in vaccinated and unvaccinated children. There are no scientific evidence of the claims of the former doctor (Wakefield). »

Did the US health authority manipulate data?

A published in February 2004 study also came to the conclusion that there was no difference between vaccinated and non-vaccinated children with regard to an autism disease.

But in 2014, the activist Brian Hooker, who worked with Wakefield on the anti-vaccination film « Vaxxed » (vaccinated), who was released in 2016, spread secretly from telephone calls. In it, William Thompson, which was involved in the study, claimed that the February 2004 study contained data that had been changed.

Thompson then published one through a law firm opinion. He regrets to have « left out statistically significant information ». « The exuberant data indicate that African-American boys who received the MMR vaccine before the age of 36 months have an increased risk of autism. »

The Health authority CDC rejected Thompson’s statements. The study was not evaluated according to the skin color, but according to age groups. Children of all skin colors were taken into account in these age groups.

A separate evaluation of all African -American children was not made because these children were not vaccinated to the same extent at the time as children of other skin colors. Many of these children were only vaccinated after the autism diagnosis.

Minister speaks of « autism pandemic »

The topic is currently being discussed again in the United States after the Vaccination Minister Robert F. Kennedy said on April 10, 2025 that his ministry wanted to « massive » until September Research effort Find out what is behind one in the USA. At the same time, US President Donald Trump had stated that he believes that this is possible with a vaccination.