McCain: 'strong evidence' vaccines cause autism

Presidential candidate John McCain (R-Ariz) declared on Friday, Feb. 29, that he felt there was a link between vaccines and autism.

"[T]here's strong evidence that indicates that it's got to do with a preservative in vaccines," McCain said at a town hall meeting in Texas, according to an ABC News report. He was asked about the link by a mother of a child with autism.

Groups ranging from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the Food and Drug Administration and the American Academy of Pediatrics have all determined, via research, no link between the vaccine preservative and autism. McCain claimed there was "divided scientific opinion" on the subject.

The preservative thimerosal, which has been blamed for the rise in autism, has been removed from most every childhood vaccine. The rate of autism continues to rise, though.