World Health Organization: No link between vaccines and autism

In a crucial scientific step aimed at reassuring the global public and dispelling persistent rumors, the World Health Organization's Committee on Vaccine Safety confirmed today that comprehensive and recent reviews of scientific evidence have found no significant link between vaccines and autism spectrum disorder. This announcement reinforces findings reached by the WHO and other global scientific bodies more than two decades ago, putting an end to the anxieties that have plagued many parents worldwide.

Details of the comprehensive scientific review

The WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety conducted a thorough evaluation of two systematic reviews that covered a wide range of medical studies published between 2010 and August 2025. These reviews focused on vaccines in general, with particular emphasis on vaccines containing thimerosal.

Thiomersal is an organic compound containing mercury and is used as a preservative in some vaccines to prevent contamination by bacteria and fungi. For many years, this compound was the target of unfounded accusations by anti-vaccination movements, which promoted the idea that it contributes to autism—a claim that has been categorically refuted by modern scientific studies.

Historical context and roots of concerns

To understand the significance of this announcement, we must return to the roots of this controversy, which began in the late 1990s when a small, controversial study (later retracted for scientific inaccuracies and data falsification) claimed a link between the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism. Although the scientific community has repeatedly refuted these claims through thousands of subsequent studies, these fears persisted, leading to declining vaccination rates in some areas and the resurgence of diseases that had been nearly eradicated.

Rigorous scientific standards

The committee explained in its statement that establishing a causal relationship between vaccines and any adverse health outcomes requires multiple, consistently high-quality studies to demonstrate a statistically significant association. In this context, the World Health Organization noted that 20 out of 31 reviewed studies found no evidence of a link, while the other studies that may have shown different results lacked sufficient methodological rigor or statistical significance to be considered reliable.

Health importance and impact of advertising

This renewed emphasis is of paramount importance both domestically and internationally, as the world faces the health challenge of "vaccine hesitancy," which the World Health Organization has identified as one of the top ten threats to global health. This report is expected to contribute to:

• Enhancing public confidence in national immunization programs.
• Protecting children from serious and fatal diseases that can be prevented by vaccines.
• Supporting international efforts to eradicate epidemics and prevent outbreaks of infectious diseases.

In conclusion, the organization emphasizes that vaccines are one of the safest and most effective medical interventions in human history, and that their benefits far outweigh any rare potential side effects.