Scientific Papers Cited by US Health Officials to Justify Vaccine Policy Changes Retracted or Under Investigation
Three scientific papers cited by US health officials to justify changes to vaccine policy have been retracted, removed, or placed under investigation by their journals over the past two months.
The papers share the theme that vaccinated children have greater health risks than unvaccinated children. Critics cite poor methodology.
The papers were cited by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , Aaron Siri, and the CDC in support of policy changes and a 2023 book by Kennedy.
Papers and Their Status
Toxicology Reports (2021)
Paper by Neil Z. Miller on vaccines and SIDS was removed by Elsevier due to serious methodological flaws. Miller disagrees with the removal.
Sage Open Medicine (2020)
Paper by Miller and Brian S. Hooker on vaccinated children's health is under investigation as of May 18, 2025, after an anonymous complaint was filed.
Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health (2010)
Paper by Carolyn M. Gallagher and Melody S. Goodman on the hepatitis B vaccine and autism was retracted on May 21, 2025. The authors disagree with the retraction.
Responses from Officials and Authors
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) : Did not respond to inquiries about whether the CDC will update its website that cited the 2010 paper.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. : Did not respond to questions about updating his book, which relied on the Sage paper.
Aaron Siri: Compared journal scrutiny to a targeted assassination and stands by his claims.
Melody S. Goodman: Stands by the methodology and notes that the study acknowledged its limitations.
Neil Z. Miller: Defends his work and calls the allegations false.
Sage: Will not comment during the ongoing investigation.
Elsevier: Cited potential public health harm as the reason for removal.
Background Context
The papers were criticized by scientists shortly after publication for poor methodology.
- The CDC changed its stance on vaccines and autism in November 2024, citing the 2010 paper.
- Vaccine-preventable diseases are rising in the US, which public health officials attribute to decreased vaccination rates.