U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced a September deadline to identify the cause of autism, setting a timeline for resolving a complex question that has challenged the scientific community for decades.
Autism prevalence in the U.S. has risen markedly since 2000. According to the CDC, the estimated prevalence among 8-year-olds increased from 0.66% in 2000 to 2.77% in 2020 (1 in 36), up from 2.27% in 2018.
“At your direction, we are going to know by September. We've launched a massive testing and research effort that’s going to involve hundreds of scientists from around the world,” Kennedy said during a meeting of President Donald Trump’s cabinet.
The effort is part of the newly formed “Make America Healthy Again” Commission, created by Trump in February. The commission—comprising Kennedy and other cabinet secretaries—will evaluate trends in childhood conditions such as autism and asthma, as well as prescribing patterns for ADHD and related disorders.
“There’s got to be something artificial out there that’s doing this,” Trump said to Kennedy during the meeting. “There will be no bigger news conference than when you come up with that answer.”
Although researchers have studied potential genetic and environmental contributions to autism for decades, the etiology of most cases remains unclear. Experts widely attribute the increased prevalence to changes in diagnostic criteria, broader definitions of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and increased awareness and access to diagnostic services.
This week, a large study published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology added to existing evidence linking maternal diabetes to neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring, including increased autism risk.
Kennedy has previously promoted the widely discredited claim that vaccines cause autism, contrary to extensive scientific evidence.
ASD is a complex neurodevelopmental condition characterized by differences in social communication, behavior, and cognition. Multiple large-scale studies are underway examining potential etiologies.
According to recent media reports, the CDC is planning a large-scale study to investigate any possible association between vaccines and autism. The NIH is also reportedly launching a multimillion-dollar research initiative that will include an examination of the relationship between ASD and the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
Both the CDC and NIH operate under the Department of Health and Human Services. A department spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
