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3w ago

RFK Jr. Announces Studies on Environmental Links to Autism as Experts Urge Caution

HHS Secretary Kennedy's claims of an autism 'epidemic' face pushback from researchers and advocates, who attribute rising diagnoses to improved screening and awareness.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a news conference on the Autism report by the CDC at the Hubert Humphrey Building Auditorium in Washington, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a news conference on the Autism report by the CDC at the Hubert Humphrey Building Auditorium in Washington, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
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Overview

  • The CDC's latest report shows autism prevalence among U.S. children rose from 1 in 36 in 2020 to 1 in 31 in 2022, reflecting expanded diagnostic practices.
  • HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pledged to identify environmental toxins as the cause of autism by September, a timeline experts call unrealistic.
  • Researchers emphasize that the rise in diagnoses is due to broader screening and access to services, not a true increase in autism rates or an 'epidemic.'
  • Advocates warn that framing autism as a preventable disease or crisis risks stigmatizing autistic individuals and undermining decades of progress.
  • Kennedy's focus on environmental toxins has drawn criticism for revisiting debunked theories, including his long-standing claims of a link between vaccines and autism.