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The US Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) has committed to identifying the cause of rising autism rates by September, launching an extensive global research effort. The promise was made during a cabinet meeting on Thursday, where he addressed President Donald Trump and other senior officials.
“We have launched a massive testing and research effort that’s gonna involve hundreds of scientists from around the world,” said Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “By September, we will know what has caused the autism epidemic and we’ll be able to eliminate those exposures.”
Autism Rates Have Increased Significantly
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), autism prevalence has surged from 1 in 150 children in the year 2000 to 1 in 36 today. Kennedy warned that this number may rise further, potentially reaching 1 in 31.
President Trump responded to Kennedy’s ambitious pledge by emphasizing the significance of the research. “There will be no bigger news conference than that, if you can come up with that answer,” Trump said. “Where you stop taking something, you stop eating something or maybe it’s a shot, but something’s causing it.”
Experts Point to Multiple Factors Behind the Increase in Autism Rates
Despite Kennedy’s assertion that a single cause may be pinpointed, leading autism experts stress that the rise in diagnoses is due to a range of factors. These include increased awareness, improved screening tools, and changes in diagnostic criteria.
“There are many causes of autism,” states Autism Speaks. “Research suggests that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) develops from a combination of genetic and environmental influences, including social determinants.”
Kennedy’s Controversial Stance on Vaccines and Autism
Kennedy has long promoted the discredited theory that vaccines contribute to autism. His past advocacy has drawn criticism from the scientific and medical communities. During his confirmation hearing as HHS Secretary, he refused to disavow these beliefs.
Under his leadership, HHS has announced that the CDC will conduct a large-scale study examining the possible connection between vaccines and autism. The Washington Post reports that vaccine skeptic David Geier has been appointed to lead the study. Geier, who has been disciplined for practicing medicine without a license in Maryland, has previously published papers claiming a link between vaccines and autism.
Autism Advocacy Groups Reject Vaccine-Autism Link
Leading autism advocacy organizations, including Autism Speaks, the Autism Society of America, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), and the Autism Science Foundation, have consistently stated that vaccines do not cause autism.
“RFK Jr.’s comment is a clear signal that HHS intends to produce rigged and fraudulent research that supports Kennedy and Trump’s pre-existing beliefs in a connection between autism and vaccines,” the Autistic Self Advocacy Network said in a statement.
Colin Killick, ASAN’s executive director, voiced skepticism about Kennedy’s proposed timeline. “It seems quite clear that he is forging ahead with rushing out misinformation to the public about the supposed causes of autism,” Killick said. “The timeline Kennedy is proposing is far too fast for any genuine scientific research to be conducted.”
