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The (Lack of) Connections Between Vaccines and Autism

Michael Fertitta 

February 8, 2021

Sophomore Seminar

Professor Moloney

The Classic "Vaccines Cause Autism" Theory

    The theory that vaccines cause Autism is one of, if not the most popular theory surrounding the disability. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a learning disability. As the name suggests, Autism is a spectrum, so often times you may find two people acting very differently from each other, yet both are diagnosed with ASD. It is commonly theorized amongst groups against vaccines that Autism is caused by the ingredients in the vaccines, specifically citing the trace amounts of mercury. The million dollar question for my research is: Can vaccines be connected to Autism at all? I'd like to explore the reasoning for why people think mercury in vaccines affects the brain to the point where a disability is formed.

    This is quite the personal issue, as I know some people who think the ingredients in vaccines affect the brain. They didn't necessarily say that they cause Autism, but rather it has an otherwise undocumented effect on one's brain. It's the large stretch of time from when the theory was first developed to now that motivates me to investigate it. In addition, I want to better understand my own condition and how people see Autistic people such as myself.

    In my research, I will attempt to understand if and how mercury affects the brain, as that is an important part of this theory. In addition, I will further look into Autism and how the brains of those with ASD function to better understand the difference between someone with ASD and a neurotypical person. Finally, I will attempt to connect both to provide a hypothetical reason for how Autism would be connected to vaccination, and clarify that there is no logic to the connection. My secondary research questions will consist of:

  • Does Mercury affect the brain? If so, how?
  • How is the brain of someone with ASD different from a neurotypical person's brain?
  • How did people draw the connection between Autism and vaccines?

    To conduct my research, I will first search for organizations that research Autism Spectrum Disorder, while avoiding groups like Autism Speaks which dehumanize those with ASD. These organizations should have an abundance of information about ASD and how the brain functions with it. To add to that, I will also consult scientific resources that have either studied mercury's chemical properties, or went an extra step and investigated mercury's inclusion in vaccinations and how it affects the brain. 


Update (3/23/2021): Here are the links I'm using for research

CDC's website supposedly debunking theories regarding vaccine ingredients and Autism 

US National Library of Medicine thinks that multiple vaccinations at once can be connected to Autism 

CDC's website, this time talking about the mercury-based compound used in vaccines and how it's not connected to Autism 

FDA's website debunking the rumor that "thimerosal" doesn't negatively affect the body, according to a wealth of studies performed 

PublicHealth debunking common myths about vaccines and Autism 

An article from the Indian Journal of Psychiatry about where the "Autism is caused by vaccines" theory came from

Psycom article talking about potential differences between Autistic and regular brains 

NPR article about an Autistic man and how Autism research suggests that the brain's wiring is relevant to Autism 

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