HHS Secretary RFK Jr. Cuts Autism Environmental Research Funding

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has publicly promised an unprecedented research initiative to identify environmental causes of autism, claiming a specific environmental toxin is responsible for the condition's rise. However, under his leadership, federal funding for existing studies on environmental factors related to autism has been cut, including the elimination of entire research divisions such as the one led by epidemiologist Erin McCanlies, who had been studying workplace chemical exposures for two decades. Kennedy remains skeptical of mainstream scientific consensus, continuing to promote the debunked theory that vaccines cause autism and expressing distrust in experts funded by his own agency. Critics argue that this approach hampers genuine scientific inquiry and may manipulate future research data. Additionally, Kennedy’s focus on anti-vaccine advocacy has raised concerns about hypocrisy, as he simultaneously curtails environmental research that might clarify autism’s causes. These developments are viewed within a broader context of declining public trust in medical institutions, partially influenced by controversies surrounding COVID-19 vaccine policies.