Global review reinforced vaccine safety on autism!

A new analysis from a World Health Organisation (WHO) global expert committee found no evidence of a causal link between vaccines and autism spectrum disorders (ASD), reaffirming WHO's long-standing position on vaccine safety.

The Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS), an independent group of international experts, reviewed the latest scientific evidence on vaccines and autism. The analysis was discussed at the Committee's meeting on 27 November 2025.

The review examined evidence from 31 major research studies published between 2010 and August 2025, using data from multiple countries. The findings showed a strong safety profile for vaccines used during childhood and pregnancy and confirmed there was no causal association between vaccines and ASD. This included vaccines containing thiomersal, a preservative that has been widely debated in the past.

The Committee also assessed evidence on vaccines containing aluminium adjuvants, drawing on studies conducted between 1999 and 2023, as well as a large nationwide cohort study from Denmark covering children born between 1997 and 2018. The evidence showed no link between the very small amounts of aluminium used in some vaccines and autism.

GACVS reaffirmed its previous conclusions from 2002, 2004 and 2012 that vaccines, including those containing thiomersal or aluminium, do not cause autism. WHO advised governments to base vaccination policies on the strongest scientific evidence, noting that childhood immunisation has saved at least 154 million lives globally over the past 50 years.

Source: World Health Organisation