Do vaccines cause autism?

Pediatrician Lawrence Kagan, MD, discusses how there is no link between vaccinations and autism, but does explain how studies show that there are some environmental factors that can in fact increase the likelihood of autism in a child
Do Vaccines Cause Autism?
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Do vaccines cause autism?

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I don't believe - I have never believed - that there was a correlation between vaccines and autism. I believe that there are probably children that are genetically predisposed for autism for reasons that as of yet cannot explain. And then I believe that there are also environmental triggers. There is a great study out of the Saban Research Institute at Children's Hospital in Los Angeles right now that showed rather conclusively that children who gestated inside of mom that lived within 1 mile of a freeway had an increased incidence of autism. And I think that's a very telling piece of research. I think it suggests that whether it be automobile exhaust or plane exhaust, people living near airports, that there are environmental reasons for what we're seeing. And that a lot of the fear that people have over vaccines that have really changed the face of medicine in one way or another, whether directly or indirectly saved us all, and yet we somehow have decided that vaccines are unsafe for our children. I think that's quite unfortunate.

Pediatrician Lawrence Kagan, MD, discusses how there is no link between vaccinations and autism, but does explain how studies show that there are some environmental factors that can in fact increase the likelihood of autism in a child

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Lawrence Kagan, MD

Pediatrician

Lawrence Kagan, MD, FAAP, is a UCLA honors graduate, with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. He received medical training at USC Keck School of Medicine, and completed his internship and residency in Pediatrics at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. In addition to passionately studying neonatal, general pediatric and adolescent medicine at CHLA, he had the opportunity to train under some of the greatest minds in subspecialty pediatrics, diagnosing and managing the rarest and most complicated childhood ailments. Prior to opening Westside Pediatrics, he worked as an attending physician at the CHLA Emergency Department as well as at Cedars Sinai Urgent Care. Dr. Kagan is a native of Los Angeles and is happily married with two children.

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Transcription: 
I don't believe - I have never believed - that there was a correlation between vaccines and autism. I believe that there are probably children that are genetically predisposed for autism for reasons that as of yet cannot explain. And then I believe that there are also environmental triggers. There is a great study out of the Saban Research Institute at Children's Hospital in Los Angeles right now that showed rather conclusively that children who gestated inside of mom that lived within 1 mile of a freeway had an increased incidence of autism. And I think that's a very telling piece of research. I think it suggests that whether it be automobile exhaust or plane exhaust, people living near airports, that there are environmental reasons for what we're seeing. And that a lot of the fear that people have over vaccines that have really changed the face of medicine in one way or another, whether directly or indirectly saved us all, and yet we somehow have decided that vaccines are unsafe for our children. I think that's quite unfortunate.