Science first: Kazakhstan’s medical community rejects vaccine-autism myths

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Healthcare has pushed back on one of the most persistent myths about vaccination, saying vaccines protect children rather than pose a threat. Officials say large-scale studies involving millions of children have consistently confirmed vaccine safety.

Why the confusion happens

The ministry noted that some parents link autism to vaccines because symptoms may become noticeable after routine shots. Dinagul Baesheva, an infectious disease specialist, said the confusion stems from timing: early signs of autism often emerge between 18 months and 2 years of age, which coincides with the booster vaccination period. Physicians stress that this overlap is coincidental, not causal.

«Coincidence does not mean cause and effect. Autism develops before birth and is associated with brain development and genetic factors. Vaccines do not affect these processes; they protect children from dangerous infections,» Baesheva said.

Real risks come from preventable diseases

The ministry added that clinicians routinely see severe complications from measles, whooping cough and other vaccine-preventable diseases. In some cases, treatment comes too late.

Read also: Kazakhstani medicines ranked most reliable in the CIS.