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Do vaccines cause autism? What the science says
Do vaccines cause autism? What the science says
Vaccines do not cause autism. That is the clear conclusion of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Dutch National Immunisation Programme at RIVM, and large studies in many countries.
Vaxy agrees with this. Parents deserve clear information, not fear.
What is in the news?
On 11 August 2026, US President Donald Trump signed an order about childhood vaccines. He repeated the old claim that vaccines cause autism. He also wants the MMR shot against measles, mumps and rubella to be split into separate shots.
Doctors and health groups say this order is dangerous. It is not science. In the United States, states decide which shots schools ask for, not the president. So the order is advice, not a law. It can still make parents feel unsure.
Where did this myth come from?
In 1998, the British doctor Andrew Wakefield published a paper. He wrote that the MMR shot could cause autism. Only 12 children took part. Later it became clear that the data were not true. Wakefield had also received money from lawyers who wanted to sue over vaccines.
The medical journal The Lancet took the paper back. That means: the paper must not be used as evidence. After that, Wakefield was no longer allowed to work as a doctor.
Since 1998, many large and careful studies have been done. They find no link between vaccines and autism.
What do large studies say?
A well-known study from Denmark in 2019 followed 657,461 children. Researchers at Statens Serum Institut asked if the MMR shot caused autism. The answer was no. This was also true for children with a higher risk, for example because a brother or sister has autism.
In 2025 a new Danish study looked at aluminium in vaccines. Small amounts of aluminium salts are in some vaccines. They help the body respond better to the shot. Researchers followed more than 1 million children. They found no link with autism, and no link with 49 other health problems.
RIVM collects this kind of research on its own page. The conclusion is always the same: vaccination does not cause autism.
What does the WHO say?
In December 2025, a WHO expert group looked at the science again. The group is called GACVS. They reviewed 31 studies from 2010 to 2025, from many countries.
Their conclusion: vaccines do not cause autism. This includes vaccines with thiomersal, a preservative, or with a small amount of aluminium.
The WHO said this before, in 2002, 2004 and 2012. The new check says the same thing again.
The WHO also says: childhood vaccines have saved at least 154 million lives in 50 years.
What does the Dutch immunisation programme say?
The Dutch National Immunisation Programme protects children against serious diseases, such as measles, mumps, rubella, whooping cough and polio.
The RIVM page about the MMR shot is clear: you do not get autism from the MMR vaccine. You also do not get diabetes or bowel disease from it.
In the Netherlands, children get the MMR shot twice: around 14 months and around 3 years. After the first shot, about 95% of children are protected. After the second shot, about 99% are protected.
RIVM also says: doubt is understandable. Ask your child health clinic or your doctor. Use trusted sources, not only social media.
Is it safer to split the MMR shot?
No. The WHO, RIVM and the US CDC say there is no evidence that separate shots are safer.
If you split the shots, your child needs more visits. Between those visits, your child is unprotected for longer. Measles spreads very easily. A child can get ill before all shots are done.
The MMR shot is one small dose. It is a few drops. It is not a large amount of liquid in the body.
Why do children get more shots now than in the past?
Children now get protection against more diseases. That is progress, not danger. Combination shots mean fewer jabs in the arm, not more.
The schedule follows the age when the immune system responds best, and when children face the highest risk.
Skipping or delaying shots lowers that protection. Measles returns more often when fewer children are vaccinated.
What can parents do?
- Follow the national immunisation programme in your country.
- Ask a doctor or child health clinic if you have doubts.
- Use sources such as the WHO and RIVM, not anonymous posts.
- Keep a record of your child's shots, so you miss none.
With Vaxy you keep all family vaccinations in one place. You can see what has been given, and you get a reminder for the next shot.
This article is information, not medical advice. If you worry about your child's health, talk to a doctor.
Quick answers
Do vaccines cause autism? No. WHO, RIVM and large studies find no link.
Does the MMR shot cause autism? No. Large studies of hundreds of thousands of children find no link.
Where did the myth come from? From a 1998 paper that was later taken back. The data were not true.
Is splitting the MMR shot safer? No. There is no evidence for this. Your child then stays unprotected for longer.
What do WHO and RIVM say? Vaccines do not cause autism. The WHO confirmed this again in 2025.
Sources
- WHO: vaccines do not cause autism, 11 December 2025
- WHO GACVS statement on vaccines and autism
- RIVM: research on vaccination and autism
- RIVM: vaccination does not cause autism
- RIVM: MMR vaccination
- Hviid et al., MMR vaccination and autism, Annals of Internal Medicine 2019
- Statens Serum Institut: no link between aluminium in vaccines and autism, 2025
- The Lancet retracts the Wakefield paper, 2010
- CDC: Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism
- BBC: Trump signs order on childhood vaccines, 11 August 2026
