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# Senators Demand HHS Reverse Autism-Related Web Site Changes
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/senators-demand-hhs-reverse-autism-related-web-site-changes/
- Published: 2026-03-17T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-14T13:35:35.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: FDA Policy/General, #legacy-id-D5160835

A group of U.S. senators is pressing HHS to reverse recent changes to FDA and other federal health Web sites, warning that altered guidance on vaccines and autism could endanger public health as measles cases climb nationwide.

In a [letter](https://www.bennet.senate.gov/2026/03/17/bennet-hickenlooper-colleagues-demand-secretary-kennedy-reverse-changes-to-cdc-and-fda-websites-that-promote-false-information-about-autism/?ref=fdaweb.com) to HHS secretary **Robert F. Kennedy Jr**., senators including **Michael Bennet** (D-CO) and **John Hickenlooper** (D-CO) criticized modifications to online information maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and FDA.

The lawmakers argue the changes promote misleading claims about a link between vaccines and autism and remove critical safety warnings about unproven autism treatments.

The senators said the CDC Web site was altered to include language questioning the long-standing scientific consensus that vaccines do not cause autism. They also raised alarm over FDA’s removal of a Web page that previously warned consumers about unapproved and potentially dangerous therapies marketed for autism.

In their letter, the lawmakers called the changes “dangerous and deceptive,” arguing they undermine trust in public health institutions and could contribute to declining vaccination rates.

They further accused HHS leadership of promoting unproven treatments, including leucovorin — a drug traditionally used in cancer care — despite limited evidence supporting its use in autism.

The dispute comes as measles cases in the U.S. have surpassed 1,300 with infections concentrated largely among unvaccinated children. Colorado has reported 11 cases to date, according to the lawmakers.

The letter reflects broader tensions between some lawmakers and the current administration over the role of science in federal health policy. Bennet and Hickenlooper both opposed Kennedy’s nomination and have repeatedly criticized his positions on vaccines and public health.

The senators also questioned reports that political appointees — not career scientists — directed the Web site changes, calling it an inappropriate intrusion into scientific communication.

The lawmakers are demanding that HHS restore what they describe as accurate, evidence-based information on both CDC and FDA platforms and ensure that public communications reflect established scientific consensus.

“The American people deserve better,” the senators wrote, urging immediate action to reverse the changes and prioritize reliable health guidance for families.