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May 19 2025
3A growing number of scientists are speaking out against recent statements and policy directions taken by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., regarding autism. Kennedy has questioned the value of genetic research and suggested that environmental toxins—rather than genetics—are to blame for the rise in autism diagnoses, a position that contradicts decades of scientific evidence.
Over the past 30 years, research has shown that autism has complex roots, with genetic factors accounting for as much as 60% to 90% of the risk. Non-genetic contributors—such as certain medications taken during pregnancy or parental age—can also play a role, though often in combination with genetic vulnerabilities. Despite this, Kennedy continues to refer to autism as an "epidemic" driven by environmental causes, a view not supported by experts.
“There’s no reason to describe autism’s growing prevalence as an epidemic,” said Helen Tager-Flusberg, a leading autism researcher and professor emerita at Boston University. “Autism is not a simple disorder, and there are no smoking guns.” According to scientists, the increase in diagnoses is more likely due to improved awareness and broader diagnostic criteria.
During a recent budget hearing, Kennedy argued that funding should shift away from genetic studies and toward identifying environmental toxins, saying, “Genes do not cause epidemics.” Tager-Flusberg countered that genes are the primary known contributors to autism, and environmental factors may only enhance or interact with these genetic risks.
For instance, older paternal age has been linked to increased autism risk, possibly because aging affects sperm cells in ways that alter DNA. Other non-genetic risks include the use of antiseizure medications like valproic acid during pregnancy, though even in these cases, genetic predisposition may still be at play.
Kennedy has also refused to fully reject the widely debunked theory that vaccines cause autism. His comments have sparked concern among scientists and advocacy groups, many of whom fear that reopening such disproven debates undermines public trust and misdirects research priorities.
In response, Tager-Flusberg and colleagues launched the Coalition of Autism Scientists, which has quickly grown to 258 members. The group aims to defend the scientific consensus and protect ongoing autism research from political interference. “We felt the scientific voice needed to be heard,” said Tager-Flusberg. “We’ve devoted our careers to this, and dismissing that work is deeply disturbing.”
The coalition’s concerns go beyond Kennedy’s rhetoric. The Biden administration has proposed using Medicare and Medicaid data to investigate the "roots" of autism. Scientists warn these databases cover only a limited group of children and raise serious privacy issues. There’s also frustration that no outreach has been made to established autism researchers.
Further controversy stems from the appointment of David Geier, a vaccine skeptic with no formal scientific credentials, as an early figure in the administration’s autism efforts. Geier was previously sanctioned for practicing medicine without a license, raising further alarm among researchers.
There is also division within the autism community itself about the focus of research. While some autistic individuals view autism as an integral part of their identity and oppose efforts to find a “cure,” others, especially those with more severe forms of the condition—now referred to as profound autism—hope for medical advances that could improve quality of life. “We should be able to hold both of these truths,” said Tager-Flusberg.
Despite the differences, there is broad agreement on one thing: the administration’s current approach appears disconnected from the realities of autism and the voices of those most impacted. “So far, they haven’t engaged scientists, advocates, or nonprofits,” Tager-Flusberg said. “We all agree this is not the way forward.”
The coalition hopes its unified message will urge the administration to reconsider its direction and reaffirm its commitment to ethical, evidence-based research guided by the autism community itself.
Source:https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/rfk-jr-is-completely-wrong-about-autism-say-scientists-and-parents/
This is non-financial/medical advice and made using AI so could be wrong.
