'Vaccines do not cause autism' — WHO

GENEVA, Switzerland - A new analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO) reaffirmed there is no link between vaccines and autism -- contrary to theories being propagated in the United States.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last month revised its website with language that undermines its previous, scientifically-grounded position that immunisations do not cause the developmental disability autism.

Years of research demonstrate that there is no causal link between vaccinations and autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders.

But Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the nation's health chief, has long voiced anti-vaccine rhetoric and inaccurate claims connecting the two.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference in Geneva that autism was not a side-effect of vaccines.

"Today, WHO is publishing a new analysis by the Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety that has found, based on available evidence, no causal link between vaccines and autism," the UN health agency chief said.

The committee looked at 31 studies in multiple countries over 15 years relating to vaccines containing thiomersal -- a preservative that prevents bacterial and fungal contamination in multidose vials -- and aluminium adjuvants.

"The committee concluded that the evidence shows no link between vaccines and autism, including vaccines containing aluminium or thiomersal," said Tedros.

"This is the fourth such review of the evidence, following similar reviews in 2002, 2004 and 2012. All reached the same conclusion: vaccines do not cause autism.

"Like all medical products, vaccines can cause side effects, which WHO monitors. But autism is not a side effect of vaccines." — Agence France-Presse