CDC website changed to include false claims that link autism and vaccines – CNN

Report on Alteration of Public Health Information and its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

This report details the recent modification of scientific information on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website concerning vaccine safety. Established scientific consensus was replaced with content questioning the lack of a link between vaccines and autism. This action directly undermines public health initiatives and poses a significant threat to the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), most notably SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), by eroding public trust in vaccinations and scientific institutions.

Analysis of Website Content Modification

The official CDC webpage on vaccine safety was altered to include anti-vaccine talking points. Key changes include:

• The assertion that the statement “vaccines do not cause autism is not an evidence-based claim.”
• The introduction of bullet points suggesting that studies supporting a link between vaccines and autism have been ignored by health authorities.
• The addition of a footnote to the main heading, “Vaccines do not cause Autism,” indicating the heading remains due to a political agreement with the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, rather than scientific consensus.

Erosion of Institutional Integrity and Scientific Consensus (SDG 16)

The modifications contradict the overwhelming body of scientific evidence. The Autism Science Foundation and other credible scientific bodies affirm that no link exists between vaccines and autism. This politicization of a key public health institution undermines its credibility and effectiveness, running counter to the principles of SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), which calls for effective, accountable, and transparent institutions.

• The changes were described by a former CDC director as a “distortion of science” and a “public health emergency.”
• The action compromises the CDC’s role as a trusted source of public health information, weakening the institutional frameworks necessary for a healthy society.
• This move is part of a broader trend of casting doubt on established vaccine policy, which threatens the integrity of public health governance.

Direct Threats to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The dissemination of misinformation on vaccines has severe consequences for public health, directly impeding progress toward SDG 3 targets.

1. Threat to Universal Health Coverage (Target 3.8): Promoting vaccine hesitancy jeopardizes access to and acceptance of safe, effective, and affordable essential vaccines, a cornerstone of universal health coverage.
2. Re-emergence of Communicable Diseases (Target 3.3): The report notes a decline in routine childhood vaccination rates in the U.S., leading to a surge in preventable diseases like measles. This trend reverses progress made toward ending epidemics of communicable diseases.
3. Regression in Public Health Outcomes: The rise in measles cases threatens the United States’ status as a country that has eliminated the disease, representing a significant setback for national and global health security.

Broader Implications for Sustainable Development

The impact of this event extends beyond immediate health concerns, affecting other critical development goals.

• SDG 4 (Quality Education): By replacing scientific fact with unsubstantiated claims on an official platform, this action undermines the goal of ensuring the public acquires accurate, science-based knowledge for promoting sustainable and healthy lifestyles.
• SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): Such actions erode the trust that forms the basis of effective partnerships between governments, scientific bodies, and civil society, which are crucial for implementing the SDGs.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: This is the most central SDG addressed. The article’s entire focus is on public health, specifically the impact of misinformation on vaccination rates and the subsequent resurgence of preventable diseases like measles. It discusses the critical role of vaccines in preventing communicable diseases and maintaining community health.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The article highlights the undermining of a key public health institution, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). By replacing scientific information with “anti-vaccine talking points,” the actions described compromise the institution’s effectiveness, accountability, and transparency, which are core principles of SDG 16.
• SDG 4: Quality Education: The article implicitly connects to this goal by demonstrating the real-world consequences of gaps in public scientific literacy. The spread and acceptance of misinformation about vaccines suggest a failure in educating the public on how to evaluate scientific evidence and make informed health decisions, a key aspect of lifelong learning and acquiring knowledge for sustainable development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being):
   • Target 3.3: By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases. The article directly relates to this target by reporting on the surge of measles, a preventable communicable disease. It states that “the United States status as a country that has eliminated continuous measles spread was in jeopardy as cases continue to rise.”
   • Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including… access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all. The campaign to cast doubt on vaccinations, as described in the article, directly threatens the “safe, effective, quality” aspect of vaccines in the public’s perception, thereby creating barriers to their uptake and hindering progress toward universal health coverage.
   • Target 3.b: Support the research and development of vaccines and medicines… The article discusses the distortion of scientific evidence regarding vaccines. It mentions that “studies showing a connection between vaccines and autism have proven to be fraudulent or have been poorly done or biased,” while credible science is being ignored or replaced on the CDC website. This undermines the very foundation of scientific research and development.
2. Under SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions):
   • Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels. The article describes how the CDC, a critical public institution, is being made less effective and accountable. The replacement of scientific facts with misinformation without the knowledge of its scientists (“The scientists at CDC were completely blindsided”) is a direct assault on its institutional integrity and transparency.
   • Target 16.10: Ensure public access to information… The core issue reported is the deliberate alteration of the CDC’s website to mislead the public. This action directly obstructs the public’s right to access accurate, evidence-based health information from a trusted governmental source.
3. Under SDG 4 (Quality Education):
   • Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development… The article’s subject matter underscores a societal need for improved scientific literacy. The fact that anti-vaccine misinformation can lead to a drop in vaccination rates indicates a gap in the public’s knowledge and skills to critically assess health information.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For SDG 3:
  • Vaccination Coverage Rate: The article explicitly states, “The rate of routine childhood vaccinations has dropped in the United States.” This is a direct indicator for measuring progress towards Target 3.8 and Target 3.b.
  • Incidence of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases: The article provides a clear, alarming indicator for Target 3.3 by noting, “This year the United States has seen its highest numbers of measles cases in 25 years.”
• For SDG 16:
  • Institutional Integrity and Public Trust: While not a numerical metric, the article provides qualitative indicators of a decline in institutional integrity. The quote from a former CDC director calling the changes “a national embarrassment” and “a public health emergency” implies a severe erosion of the CDC’s credibility and, by extension, public trust (relevant to Target 16.6).
  • Accuracy of Official Information: The central event—”Scientific information on the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website was replaced on Wednesday with anti-vaccine talking points”—serves as a direct, albeit anecdotal, indicator of the failure to ensure public access to accurate information (relevant to Target 16.10).
• For SDG 4:
  • Prevalence of Misinformation-driven Behavior: The article implies an indicator for Target 4.7. The drop in vaccination rates linked to the spread of anti-vaccine theories serves as an indirect measure of the population’s susceptibility to misinformation, highlighting a deficit in scientific literacy and critical thinking skills.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: cnn.com