ABC will launch a new legal drama this week. The debut show will center around the issue of vaccines and autism. We hope people will keep in mind that this show is a work of fiction. Entertainment-based television shows can be a source of education for viewers, but should not be a primary source for health and medical information. Though it is a work of fiction, this program may cause concern among parents. As always, we urge parents who have any concerns about vaccines to speak with their child's physician or health care provider.

It would be unfortunate if this program, or any program, caused a parent to forgo a recommended childhood vaccination. Vaccines protect infants, children and adults from the unnecessary harm and premature death caused by vaccine-preventable diseases. Extensive reviews of the scientific and medical evidence have concluded that recommended childhood vaccines do not cause autism or autism spectrum disorders.

At CDC, we place a high priority on vaccine safety and the integrity and credibility of our vaccine safety research, and we are fully committed to the health and well-being of children.

For more information, go to:

CDC's Autism Information Center
http://www.cdc.gov/autism

CDC's Information on Mercury and Vaccines
http://www.cdc.gov/od/science/iso/concerns/thimerosal.htm

or call 1-800-CDC-INFO