A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website has been changed to contradict the longtime scientific conclusion that vaccines do not cause autism, spurring outrage among a number of public health and autism experts.

The CDC "vaccine safety" webpage was updated on Wednesday, saying "the statement 'Vaccines do not cause autism' is not an evidence-based claim."

The change is the latest move by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to revisit — and foster uncertainty about — long-held scientific consensus about the safety of vaccines and other pharmaceutical products.

It was immediately decried by scientists and advocates who have long been focused on finding the causes of autism.

"We are appalled to find that the content on the CDC webpage 'Autism and Vaccines

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