The Center for Disease Control recently issued an update about vaccines and autism.

Last week, the federal agency added verbiage to its website that states: “… This webpage has been updated because the statement ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim. Scientific studies have not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines contribute to the development of autism.”

The agency cites the rise in autism prevalence since the 1980s correlates with the rise in the number of vaccines given to infants. But according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the uptick in diagnoses is due to improved awareness and more robust screening.

Doctors say the latest message from the Health and Human Services Department will cause fear and confusion among parents and threaten the health and wellbeing of children.

“This language change is using a technicality in the scientific method to provide misleading information,” Endeavor Health pediatrician Annie Mlnarik said. ”Even though there is no study that proves vaccines do not cause autism, we have a body of evidence that does support that vaccines do not cause autism. … Within scientific research you can never prove never. We have 40 studies done across seven countries including 5.6 million patients that do prove there is no link between vaccines and autism.”

A statement signed and issued by 65 medical organizations including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and Autism Society of America – expressed alarm over what they call the “outdated and disproven idea that vaccines cause autism.”

The statement reads, in part: “Medical researchers across the globe have spent more than 25 years thoroughly studying this claim. All have come to the same conclusion: Vaccines are not linked to autism. … our organizations reject this latest attempt to create fear around routine childhood immunizations.”

In the meantime, the federal agency says it will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the causes of autism.