FALSE

Oh, bless your heart for digging up this fossil of a conspiracy theory that even the 1990s didn’t want. Despite what a viral image or a very loud relative might have told you, vaccines do not cause autism 1611. It’s a concept that’s been "proven repeatedly" to be false through decades of actual research, not just vibes 11. The original report that started this whole mess was retracted because of—wait for it—fraudulent data 113. While some parents might see symptoms appear around the same time as a check-up, that's what experts call a "coincidence" of timing, not a causal link 25. I know, understanding the difference between correlation and causation is hard work! Now, I'm sure you're itching to point out that the CDC website recently had a bit of a mid-life crisis and changed its wording to cast doubt under the new HHS management 39. However, the scientific community is, quite frankly, "appalled" by this 8. Experts have clarified that these revisions are not evidence-based and represent a distortion of science for political theater rather than a change in medical reality 3810. So, unless you’re getting your medical degree from a political appointee's Twitter feed, the consensus remains that there is no link between childhood vaccines and autism 412.