Updated March 22, 2025, at 9:45 PM EST.
A CDC clone website is filled with false and misleading vaccine claims against a backdrop of false balance. An NGO led by the current HHS Secretary until December 2024 is hosting content for the CDC clone. The domain realcdc[.]org currently redirects to this CDC clone, which is staged on chdstaging[.]org.
The site uses CDC logos, real CDC social media links, and authoritative language, raising serious legal concerns under federal impersonation statutes. This deceptive staging site risks misleading parents, undermining public trust, and even violating federal law.
It also raises an inevitable critical question: Is the HHS Secretary aware of the site, and if so, how will he address this conflict of interest and take action on an apparent effort to impersonate a federal agency?
The domain realcdc[.]org, registered on January 23, 2025, is being managed through the same Cloudflare account as Children’s Health Defense (CHD), a group known for promoting false and misleading vaccine information. Evidence indicates that CHD is preparing to launch a site designed to imitate official CDC web pages. The staging site at cdc.chdstaging[.]org uses CDC logos, formatting, and language to lend false credibility to content that questions vaccine safety.
It presents misleading scientific claims and testimonials from alleged parents describing vaccine injuries. A prolific threat intelligence researcher, Kyle Ehmke, made the initial discovery just days after the domain was registered. He followed up later about the website’s activity.
Domain Registration:
realcdc[.]orgwas registered on January 23, 2025.Hosting: Managed via the same Cloudflare nameservers (max and elisabeth) as the CHD domain
childrenshealthdefense[.]org. There are tens of thousands of domains on each nameserver, so this alone is inconclusive.Staging Site Observations:
Visual identity mirrors CDC style.
Pages push discredited links between vaccines and autism.
Parent testimonial videos mimic real public health testimony videos.
URL identified:
cdc.chdstaging[.]org.Videos featured in the gallery are all hosted by Children’s Health Defense.
Current Status:
realcdc[.]orgis not yet active but could go live in coordination with future public health campaigns or major vaccination efforts. It currently redirects tocdc.chdstaging[.]org.Shared Infrastructure: All three domains, childrenshealthdefense[.]org, chdstaging[.]org, and realcdc[.]org share the same Cloudflare host.
The website raises legal concerns if it deliberately impersonates a federal agency like the CDC. This is suggested by its authoritative tone on vaccines and autism, use of CDC logos, and embedded CDC social media accounts in its footer.
The front page mixes scientific studies, parental testimonies, and skepticism about vaccine safety while displaying CDC branding. This risks misleading the public on sensitive issues such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and may violate multiple federal statutes protecting governmental integrity and public safety.
Applicable statutes include:
18 U.S.C. § 912: Criminalizes impersonating a federal officer or employee and acting “as such.”
18 U.S.C. § 701: Prohibits unauthorized use of official badges, insignia, and emblems. This may cover the reproduction or misuse of CDC logos or symbols without proper authorization.
18 U.S.C. § 702: Prohibits unauthorized use of uniforms and insignia of the Public Health Service, which the CDC operates under. The use of PHS uniforms or distinctive elements in a manner that suggests an affiliation with the CDC could fall under this statute.
18 U.S.C. § 1017: Restricts unauthorized use of government seals, including those of the CDC, in ways that may falsely imply endorsement or official status.
The website juxtaposes parental testimonies (“MMR Vax Gave My Son Autism”) with selective scientific citations. This can sway vulnerable audiences despite authoritative studies (DeStefano et al., 2004) refuting these claims. Presenting this as a balanced discussion using CDC branding is misleading to readers.
Even without direct impersonation, mimicking federal authority risks civil liability under false advertising laws or FTC regulations. The FTC recommends reporting government impersonation scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the state attorney general.
The Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS OIG) may also have the authority to investigate and take action on such impersonation. However, the HHS OIG was removed from office in January 2025.
A critical question: Is the Secretary of HHS aware of this effort? Does he support it? If not, what will he do to hold this organization accountable? His close relationship with the organization creates a considerable conflict of interest.
The website features a gallery of testimonial videos hosted by Children’s Health Defense, which strongly suggests a connection to CHD. This is especially so in light of the websites’ shared infrastructure. An archive of the full page can be found here: Archived Parental Testimonies.
The parental testimonies on this website function as emotional anchors, reinforcing the vaccine-autism narrative despite contradicting the robust evidence cited in the report. They exploit the natural overlap of vaccination and autism onset ages, a coincidence long clarified by science, to suggest causality where none exists.
While the report gives the impression of striving for balance—acknowledging both sides—the testimonies tip toward advocacy, amplifying distrust and aligning with known hoaxes and false claims (Wakefield).
The video titles suggest content that might resonate with parents seeking answers for ASD’s rise, but without substantiation, they remain stories. The scientific consensus, reinforced by the website’s credible sources, holds vaccines do not cause autism, and these testimonies reflect perception, not reality.