Study Finds No Autism Risk From Vaccines

Getting vaccines does not increase kids’ risk of developing autism, a new study finds. It adds to the evidence that a preservative in vaccines does not cause the condition. Many children’s vaccines used to use a preservative called thimerosal. This preservative contains mercury. Now flu shots are the only ones still using it. The new study looked at medical records for U.S. children in 3 managed care organizations. All were born between 1994 and 1999. thimerosal was still used in vaccines then. Researchers found 256 children with an autism spectrum disorder. They compared them with 752 children who did not have autism. Children who had vaccines containing thimerosal were no more likely to develop autism than children not exposed to these vaccines. Researchers looked at vaccine exposure from before birth (in the womb) through age 20 months.