News

Risk of Autism Not Increased by Too Many Vaccines, Too Soon (MDCH Letter)

Posted on April 02, 2013 12:20

Dear Immunization Partners,

On March 29, 2013 the Journal of Pediatrics published an article evaluating the issue of “too many vaccines too soon” and the development of autism. This study is the first of its kind. The article, “Increasing exposure to antibody-stimulating proteins and polysaccharides in vaccines is not associated with risk of autism”, is available online in the Journal of Pediatrics.

A primary concern from parents is the number of vaccines administered, both on a single day and cumulatively over the first 2 years of life. In this study, researchers concluded that there is no association between receiving “too many vaccines too soon” and autism.

The findings showed that the amount of antigens from vaccines received on one day of vaccination or in total during the first two years of life is not related to the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children.
The study found that the total amount of antigens from vaccines received was the same between children with ASD and those that did not have ASD.
The study also evaluated two sub-categories of ASD – autistic disorder and ASD with regression – and found no relationship with the number of vaccine antigens received in either of these categories.
A 2004 comprehensive review by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) concluded that there is not a causal relationship between certain vaccine types and autism, and this study strengthens that conclusion.
The authors point out that infants are exposed to many bacteria and viruses naturally from the time of birth and that the relatively small number of antigens contained in vaccines would not be expected to have a particular effect on the immune system.
The study also found that although the current vaccination schedule for young children contains more vaccines than were recommended in the late 1990s, the number of antigens in the vaccines has dropped substantially.