Question

There's no proof that vaccines have not caused autism. The most plausible cause, however, is a combination of many things, including certain ingredients in vaccines

Comments

there has been very extensive research over the past two decades into seeing if there has been any correlation between the two, and it has been found that there has not. Many doctors have been found to say that there can be a correlation between the age of autism diagnosis and the vaccine schedule. this same website also touched on the fact that it has been found that your chance of having autism is 60-90% based on your genome.

https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-causes-autism

Answer 1

The claim that vaccines cause autism is a widely debunked myth. Extensive research has consistently shown no credible link between vaccines and autism. Autism is influenced by a complex mix of genetic and environmental factors, as highlighted by organizations like Autism Speaks and research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The anti-vaccine movement has played a significant role in perpetuating this false belief. A major contributor to this myth was a 1998 study by Andrew Wakefield, a former English doctor published in The Lancet, which hypothesized that the MMR vaccine caused autism. However, the study had critical flaws. Since most children in England received the MMR vaccine, it was expected that many diagnosed with autism had also been vaccinated, making this correlation unsurprising. In addition, the study was later retracted due to scientific misconduct, as it misrepresented data and was deemed fraudulent. Despite its retraction, Wakefield's paper fueled misinformation, and its claims continue to influence public opinion. 

https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-causes-autism

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5789217/

https://www.chop.edu/vaccine-education-center/vaccine-safety/vaccines-and-other-conditions/autism

Comments

Thanks for providing context on where the conspiracy began.

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This factcheck is done very well and you can tell the user did a good amount of research to debunk this myth. Thank you for providing even more information on why this isn't true

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This response did a great job outlining the origins of this myth and why it has been debunked. One thing that could strengthen your argument is mentioning large-scale studies specifically disproving Wakefirled's claims. Citing concrete dates like that might help counter the emotional appeal that misinformation often relies on.

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I fully agree with this fact-check. I appreciate the mention of the history of this claim being a fraudulent study that was misinterpreted. I also liked the inclusion of the NIH article as the NIH is a very reliable source. This is a very important issue to clear up misinformation of as vaccines are NOT the cause of autism, and that theory has lead to, rom my observation, the furthering of ablism and the spreading of disease.

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I agree with the fact check. it did a great job showing the original proof of when the claims started and why they weren't true. there is many claims it why its a myth and I liked the articles you chose.

Answer 2

After doing some research into the claim that "there's no proof that vaccines have not caused autism," it's clear that this statement is false. This misconception started from a 1998 study by Andrew Wakefield, which falsely linked the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine to autism. The study was later stopped due to ethical violations and flaws in views, and Wakefield lost his medical license. More large scale studies have found no evidence supporting a link between vaccines and autism. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that vaccines do not cause autism. Similarly, the World Health Organization (WHO) has debunked the alleged connection between vaccines and autism. So, the accusation lacks scientific validity and has been proven to be not true.

https://www.who.int/groups/global-advisory-committee-on-vaccine-safety/topics/mmr-vaccines-and-autism

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3136032/

Comments

Great response, your sources are credible and provide clear information supporting your fact check which you cited in your response. I found your response helpful to better understand the lack of validity in the original claim.

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This is a very informative response. I liked the elaboration on Wakefield and what happened after the accusation that the vaccine was linked to autism. I also appreciate the info provided on what reputable organizations like the CDC and WHO have done to investigate further.

Answer 3

The claim stated above has been proved false by endless articles. Many fact checks have been placed on studies and articles that support the idea that vaccines cause autism. The article, "Link between autism and vaccinations debunked" talks about how a study done in 1988 brought about this ideology placing a narrative that lacks evidence into peoples heads claiming there was a direct correlation between vaccines and autism. Autism is a condition which is related to the development of a child's brain, limiting the ability for certain behaviors and pathways to form. In the article, "Vaccines and Autism" it touches more on the study shared in 1988 by Andrew Wakefield's study published called "The Lancet" this article really tears back the layers on why his claim on the correlation between vaccines and autism is false, sharing that he did not perform tests before and after the vaccines, only after. The article, “A timeline of the Wakefield Retraction” says, “6 March 2004 Ten authors on the 1998 paper issue a retraction, and The Lancet's editor says the journal, in hindsight, should not have published the study.” Many people still believe that this claim is true even with all the information going against this claim. Another article that shows a study that proves the claim that vaccines do not cause autism is, “Autism and Vaccines” and it states, “ Researchers have also studied thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative used in many vaccines, to see if it had any relation to autism. The results are clear: The data show no relationship between vaccines, thimerosal and autism.” 

https://www.chop.edu/vaccine-education-center/vaccine-safety/vaccines-and-other-conditions/autism

https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/autism-vaccine-link-debunked

https://www.nature.com/articles/nm0310-248b 

https://autismsciencefoundation.org/autism-and-vaccines/#:~:text=Vaccines%20Do%20Not%20Cause%20Autism&text=Researchers%20have%20also%20studied%20thimerosal,between%20vaccines%2C%20thimerosal%20and%20autism. 

Answer 4

There has been substantial research debunking the theory that vaccines cause autism. Research has consistently shown that autism occurs due to genetic and environmental factors. The argument that vaccines cause autism is a scapegoat for upset parents who blame the occurrence on external factors to self-comfort. The developmental condition usually becomes prevalent between 12 and 18 months, and children usually receive vaccinations as early as a few weeks old. It makes sense why people make the connection or argument, mainly because it's easier to take in rather than just coincidence or bad luck. There was a false link between MMR vaccines and autism due to the age of it being administered and the early onset of autism symptoms, which was the most significant cause of the uproar.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5789217/

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/imz-schedules/child-adolescent-age.html

https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-causes-autism