SACRAMENTO – Gov. Gavin Newsom Nov. 25 announced the West Coast Health Alliance or WCHA issued information to the public and public health professionals after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC – headed by vaccine-skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – incorrectly updated its website to suggest, without scientific evidence, a causal link between vaccines and autism.
West Coast Health Alliance statement
The West Coast Health Alliance continues to strongly recommend vaccines to protect our children, noting that rigorous research of millions of people in multiple countries over decades provides evidence that vaccines are not linked to autism. The Alliance is deeply concerned about inaccurate claims to the contrary recently posted on the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental condition with multiple contributing genetic and environmental factors. Suggesting it stems from any single cause, such as vaccination, misleads families who deserve accurate guidance. It is not only a disservice to families seeking clarity about vaccines but also potentially harmful to autistic individuals and their families.
Vaccines are thoroughly tested and remain one of the most important tools for preventing infectious diseases. Public health guidance on immunization must be grounded in credible, evidence-based science to help parents and caregivers who may be receiving conflicting or inaccurate messages about immunization.
The Alliance encourages families to seek information from trusted health care providers and reputable medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics.
To protect the health of our communities, the Alliance will continue to ensure that our public health strategies are based on the best available science.