November 20, 2025
As a trusted partner in the community, Denver Health remains committed to providing clear, science-based information about vaccines. This is especially important as flu and RSV season begins, when recommended vaccines play a critical role in protecting children, older adults and individuals with compromised health. Accurate, evidence-based information is essential to keeping our community safe — and recent updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have created unnecessary confusion that must be addressed.
This week, the CDC updated its website to suggest that studies have not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines cause autism. This statement contradicts decades of rigorous scientific research.
More than 25 years of high-quality studies, including research involving millions of children worldwide, have found no credible evidence linking vaccines to autism. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has strongly condemned the CDC’s wording change and reaffirmed its unwavering support for vaccines as safe, effective and essential to protecting children’s health.
Denver Health stands with the American Academy of Pediatrics, all people with autism and our community to stop misinformation and prevent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases while reinforcing the scientific consensus on vaccine safety. We remain committed to ensuring that families have access to trusted, evidence-based guidance.
“Denver Health’s responsibility is to our patients and our community, and that means providing an empathetic listening ear and scientifically accurate information about vaccines,” said Joshua Williams, MD, a general pediatrician and vaccine expert. “As flu and RSV season intensifies, it is more important than ever for families to rely on their trusted providers and medical evidence, not misinformation.”
Denver Health continues to contribute high-quality research and national leadership on vaccine safety. Our work plays a vital role in ensuring the community has access to the best available science.