This week, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ignited a firestorm after declaring that the United States would “know the cause of the autism epidemic by September.” He also announced a sweeping investigation into what he called “environmental toxins” that he believes are responsible for rising autism rates. Kennedy’s comments, delivered at a press conference following a new CDC report showing an increase in autism diagnoses, were widely condemned by scientists, autism advocates, and parents. Many accused him of spreading misinformation and reinforcing harmful stereotypes about autistic people.
Kennedy’s Claims and the Backlash
Kennedy insisted that autism is a “preventable disease” and rejected the well-established explanation that increased diagnoses are due to broader definitions and better awareness. Instead, he blamed environmental exposures, including food additives and pharmaceuticals.
He described autism as an epidemic that “destroys families” and made a series of sweeping and inaccurate statements about autistic people, including:
“Many will never pay taxes, never hold a job, never play baseball, never write a poem, never go out on a date — many of them will never use a toilet unassisted.”
He also said:
“Autism destroys families and more importantly it destroys our greatest resource, which is our children.”
Kennedy further questioned why there appear to be so few older adults with severe autism, asking:
“Have you ever seen anyone…71 years old, with full-blown autism? Head-banging, nonverbal, non-toilet trained, spinning, toe-walking…these other stereotypical features? Where are these individuals strolling through the shopping center? You can’t find them. They’re not in homes, there are no homes for them, there are no institutions… anybody can look around and see that this is a canard.”
Why These Statement Show a Shocking Absence of Knowledge
Kennedy’s remarks reveal a deep misunderstanding of autism and its history. Autism is a spectrum, which means people experience it in many different ways. Many autistic individuals live independently, have careers, pay taxes, form relationships, and contribute to their communities. Even those who need significant support can and do lead meaningful lives, a fact celebrated by families and advocates who were quick to point out how Kennedy’s words were both inaccurate and dehumanizing.
His comments about older adults with autism show a lack of knowledge about the history of diagnosis and care. Experts and advocates explained that autism was not widely recognized or properly diagnosed until recent decades. Many older autistic adults were either misdiagnosed, institutionalized, or simply never identified as autistic due to outdated criteria and lack of awareness. The absence of visible older adults with autism is not evidence of a new epidemic but rather a reflection of how society failed to recognize and support them in the past.
Kennedy’s sweeping generalizations ignore decades of research and lived experience. His statements reinforce harmful stereotypes and stigmas that the autism community has worked hard to dismantle. As parents and autistic people themselves have made clear, these remarks are not just scientifically wrong—they are deeply offensive and damaging.
A Long History of Conspiracy Theories
Kennedy’s latest statements are not an isolated incident. For more than 20 years, he has been a leading figure in the anti-vaccine movement. He has repeatedly promoted the thoroughly debunked theory that vaccines cause autism. This myth began with a fraudulent study published in 1998 by Andrew Wakefield. The study was later retracted and discredited. Since then, research involving hundreds of thousands of children has found no link between vaccines and autism.
Despite overwhelming evidence, Kennedy has continued to amplify these falsehoods. He has used his platform to question vaccine safety and undermine public health initiatives. His embrace of conspiracy theories does not stop at vaccines. He has also promoted unfounded claims about Wi-Fi causing cancer, antidepressants leading to school shootings, and chemicals in water changing children’s gender identity.
The Scientific Consensus
The scientific community is clear. Vaccines do not cause autism. Multiple large-scale studies in several countries have confirmed this fact. Leading health organizations, including the CDC, the National Academy of Medicine, and the World Health Organization, have all stated that vaccines are safe and essential for public health. The rise in autism diagnoses is due to improved awareness, broader diagnostic criteria, and better access to services. It is not the result of a sudden increase in the condition itself.
Why This Matters
Kennedy’s rhetoric is not just scientifically unfounded. It is dangerous. By reviving the debunked vaccine-autism myth and describing autism in dehumanizing terms, he risks undermining public trust in vaccines. He also contributes to the stigma faced by autistic people and may redirect research funding away from efforts that could genuinely help autistic individuals and their families.
As the backlash this week made clear, the autism community and scientific experts are united in their call for evidence-based policy and respect for the diversity and potential of autistic people. Kennedy’s comments represent a return to conspiracy-driven narratives that have already been thoroughly disproven. Many hoped these ideas were finally behind us, but this week’s events show that the fight against misinformation is far from over.
Citations
- RFK seeks the ‘environmental’ cause of autism. Scientists say it’s not that simple – https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/04/16/nx-s1-5366676/autism-cdc-rates-rfk-research
- RFK Jr.’s comments on autism draw reactions from parents and experts – https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Wellness/parents-experts-react-rfk-jrs-autism-claims/story?id=120911306
- RFK Jr. attacks environmental toxins as cause of childhood autism ‘epidemic,’ stays silent on vaccines – https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/regulatory/rfk-jr-attacks-environmental-toxins-cause-childhood-autism-epidemic-stays-silent
- Statement on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Comments Regarding the Cause of Autism and Misleading Deadline – https://autismsociety.org/statement-on-robert-f-kennedy-jr-s-comments-regarding-the-cause-of-autism-and-misleading-deadline/
- RFK Jr. Questioned on Autism During Confirmation Hearing – https://autismsociety.org/rfk-jr-questioned-on-autism-during-confirmation-hearing/
- 4 Takeaways From RFK Jr.’s Press Conference on CDC Autism Report – https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2025-04-16/4-takeaways-from-rfk-jr-s-press-conference-on-cdc-autism-report
- Autism and Vaccines: Separating Fact from Fiction – https://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/autism.html
- Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism – https://www.autismspeaks.org/vaccines-and-autism
- Vaccines and autism: a tale of shifting hypotheses – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3136032/
- The MMR vaccine and autism: Sensation, refutation, retraction, and fraud – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3136032/
- Increasing Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders: Impact on the Child and Family – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2526136/
- The Discredited Theory That Vaccines Cause Autism – https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-discredited-theory-that-vaccines-cause-autism/
- Autism spectrum disorder – https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/autism-spectrum-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20352928
- Autism Prevalence Rises Again, CDC Reports – https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/16/health/autism-cdc-rates.html
