By KT Reporter
A new analysis by the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) has reaffirmed that there is no causal link between vaccines and autism spectrum disorders (ASD).
The conclusion reinforces WHO’s long-standing position that childhood vaccines do not cause autism, and comes just weeks after the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a dossier suggesting a possible link, a claim global scientists have widely disputed.
According to WHO, the GACVS based its findings on two assessments: one examining the relationship between thiomersal-containing vaccines and ASD, and another reviewing the association between vaccines in general and ASD.
The experts analysed 31 primary research studies published between January 2010 and August 2025, drawing on data from multiple countries. They concluded that the evidence overwhelmingly supports the safety of vaccines used in childhood and pregnancy, and confirms the absence of any causal relationship with autism.
The Committee also evaluated research on potential health risks associated with aluminium adjuvants, ingredients used to enhance the immune response in some vaccines. This review drew from studies conducted between 1999 and March 2023, as well as a large population-based cohort study of children born in Denmark between 1997 and 2018. Together, the findings showed no link between the trace amounts of aluminium in vaccines and ASD, supporting their continued safe use.
In light of the findings, WHO urged governments to base immunisation policies on scientific evidence.
“WHO advises all national authorities to rely on the latest science and ensure vaccine policies are grounded in the strongest available evidence. Global childhood immunisation efforts represent one of the greatest achievements in improving lives, livelihoods and the prosperity of societies. During the past 50 years, childhood immunisation has saved at least 154 million lives,” the statement reads in part.
GACVS has previously conducted similar evaluations in 2002, 2004, and 2012, all of which reached the same conclusion: vaccines do not cause autism.
-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
