RFK Jr. Oversees CDC Shakeup Amid Autism Vaccine Data Controversy

During a recent Senate hearing, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. alleged that a CDC scientist was ordered to destroy data linking the MMR vaccine to increased autism risk in young Black boys, a claim that has sparked controversy amid ongoing debates about vaccine safety. Kennedy, empowered by President Donald Trump to reshape health agencies, has promoted vaccine skepticism and fringe health theories, drawing criticism from public health experts and some Republicans who fear the political fallout. A coalition of health professionals has cautioned the public against trusting new autism-related claims from HHS, emphasizing that extensive scientific research has found no causal link between vaccines and autism and that improved diagnostics explain rising autism diagnoses. Meanwhile, the CDC has faced leadership turmoil, including the firing of its director who resisted unscientific directives, raising concerns about the agency's independence under Kennedy's influence. Autism researchers argue that Trump and Kennedy's policies, including budget cuts and vaccine skepticism, are undermining efforts to understand autism, as federal funding for vital research has been frozen or reduced. The administration's stance on autism and vaccines reflects a broader trend of sidelining traditional scientific expertise in favor of politically aligned figures who support controversial health views.