Mathias Busekist
Advocates for people with autism have criticized this position as harmful and misleading.
In his first press conference as Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called rising autism rates in the U.S. a “preventable” crisis caused by environmental toxins—a claim have strongly condemned.
Kennedy dismissed long-standing scientific consensus that improved diagnostics and increased awareness account for the rise in autism diagnoses, labeling that view an “industry canard.”
“One of the things that I think that we need to move away from today is this ideology that the autism prevalence increases – the relentless increases – are simply artifacts of better diagnoses, better recognition or changing diagnostic criteria,” he said.
Kennedy also urged the need for “real-time data” on autism prevalence, comparing the situation to an infectious disease outbreak.
“We don’t wait two years to react to a measles epidemic … or any kind of infectious disease. We shouldn’t have to do that for diabetes or autism,” he said.
Joining him was Dr. Walter Zahorodny, co-author of a new CDC report showing autism affects 1 in 31 children by age 8.
“I would urge everyone to consider the likelihood that autism – whether we call it an epidemic, a tsunami or a surge of autism – is a real thing that we don’t understand, and it must be triggered or caused by environmental or risk factors,” Zahorodny said.
Kennedy announced plans to launch a series of studies under a new division within the Administration for Healthy America to identify environmental toxins. He dismissed genetic research as a “dead end,” citing alternative factors like pesticides, mold, medicines, and ultrasounds.
“Genes do not cause epidemics. It can provide a vulnerability. You need an environmental toxin,” he said.
The Autism Society of America criticized Kennedy’s remarks, calling them “harmful, misleading, and unrealistic.”
“Claiming that Autism is ‘preventable’ is not science based, and places unnecessary blame on people, parents and families,” said CEO Christopher Banks. “Autism is not a chronic disease… and using language like that perpetuates falsehoods, stigma and stereotypes.”
The CDC report emphasized that improved detection and better access to diagnostic services—particularly in previously underserved communities—likely contributed to the increased numbers.