Maryland Department of Health Secretary Dr. Meena Seshamani Issues Statement

The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) is committed to using accurate science and clinical best practices to protect the health and well-being of all Marylanders. MDH Secretary Dr. Meena Seshamani issued a statement reaffirming the scientific consensus that vaccines are safe and effective in response to the recent changes to the CDC's autism and vaccine webpage that suggested an ignored link between vaccines and autism,

In her statement, Dr. Seshamani emphasized the critical role of vaccines in public health and safety. She highlighted that U.S. vaccines undergo rigorous testing and monitoring, and that there is no credible scientific evidence supporting a link between vaccines and autism. Dr. Seshamani also stated that making unsubstantiated claims is harmful to both people with autism, who deserve understanding and support, and to public health efforts.

In line with its commitment to vaccine access and evidence-based public health, MDH has undertaken several recent initiatives:

• Issued a COVID-19 vaccine standing order
• Disseminated clinical vaccine guidance for healthcare providers
• Posted a new FAQ about vaccines for the public on our website
• Determined our own updated respiratory virus immunization recommendations
• Launched a new Maryland Respiratory Illness Data Dashboard which provides simplified data for trend analysis while maintaining links to existing COVID-19, flu and RSV dashboards
• Joined the bipartisan Northeast Public Health Collaborative, a partnership with other states and jurisdictions working to protect the health, safety and well-being of its communities