Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the new U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary, called autism a “preventable epidemic” Wednesday, April 16, claiming environmental toxins are driving a surge in cases. His remarks, made at his first press conference, drew fierce criticism from scientists and autism advocates who say he’s wrong.
Kennedy pointed to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report showing autism rates climbed to 1 in 31 among 8-year-olds, up from 1 in 36 in 2020. He dismissed better screening as the cause, insisting toxins like mold or food additives are to blame.
“This epidemic is real,” he said. “We’ll find answers by September.”
“It’s a slap in the face,” said Zoe Gross, an advocate with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, who has autism. “He’s saying we’re broken, not that society needs to support us.”
Kennedy, 71, also claimed kids with autism:
“Will never hold a job, pay taxes, or go on a date,”
— sparking anger for painting the condition as hopeless. Experts fired back, noting autism varies widely, with many leading fulfilling lives.
“That’s a flat-out lie,” said Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost, D-Fla., on X.
Scientists say genetics, not toxins, play the biggest role in autism, though environmental factors aren’t ruled out. The CDC credits rising rates to better diagnosis and access to services.
“We’re catching more cases early,” said Sara Swoboda, a pediatrician with the American Academy of Pediatrics. “That’s a win, not a crisis.”
Kennedy’s comments aren’t new. He’s long pushed debunked claims linking vaccines to autism, worrying parents like Cat West in Montgomery County, Pa.
“It confuses people,” said West, whose three kids have autism. “We need help, not fearmongering.”
HHS plans new studies under a chronic disease division, with David Geier, a controversial figure who once used puberty blockers to treat autism, leading the charge. Kennedy vowed to look at “everything” from obesity to medicine. Critics warn this could divert funds from needed autism services.
For now, Kennedy’s words have left families and researchers shaken, with many hoping science, not politics, will guide the way forward.