RFK Jr. Plans Major Research on Autism Causes by September

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a significant research initiative aimed at identifying the causes of autism, with findings expected by September. During a Cabinet meeting with President Donald Trump, Kennedy, a vocal vaccine critic, suggested that an 'artificial' factor might be responsible for the rising autism rates, which have dramatically increased from 1 in 10,000 children in the past to approximately 1 in 31 or 1 in 36 today. Despite decades of research refuting any link between vaccines and autism, both Kennedy and Trump expressed concerns about the alarming statistics. Critics, including representatives from autism advocacy groups, have raised alarms about Kennedy's approach, emphasizing the need for scientifically valid research rather than revisiting discredited theories. The National Institutes of Health notes genetic and environmental factors as potential contributors to autism, yet no singular cause has been identified. The ambitious research effort will involve hundreds of scientists, but details on the methodology remain unclear.