RFK Jr. Vows Autism Research Amid Rising Diagnoses \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pledged to investigate environmental links to autism following new CDC data showing 1 in 31 U.S. children are affected. He called the trend “alarming” and vowed to fund independent studies. Autism researchers caution that rising diagnoses reflect improved awareness and broader definitions.
Quick Looks
- CDC reports autism affects 1 in 31 U.S. children, up from 1 in 36 in 2020.
- Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. calls the trend “alarming” and autism a “preventable disease.”
- Kennedy promises a nationwide effort to study environmental causes of autism.
- Research grants will be issued to universities and scientists to “follow the science.”
- Autism is widely recognized as a neurodevelopmental condition with both genetic and environmental links.
- Scientists warn that no single cause exists and the disorder varies in severity.
- Researchers cite factors such as parental age, maternal health, and chemical exposure.
- Experts caution that higher diagnosis rates are also linked to better awareness and broader criteria.
- Kennedy previously set a September deadline to identify autism causes, now pledges partial answers by then.
- CDC data show higher autism rates among boys and among Asian, Black, and Native American children.
- Trump administration has cut university health research funding in recent months.
Deep Look
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is renewing the national focus on autism after new government data revealed a striking increase in diagnoses among American children. On Wednesday, Kennedy announced a sweeping initiative to investigate environmental links to the disorder, citing the latest findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which now estimate that 1 in 31 children in the U.S. has autism—a sharp jump from the 1 in 36 rate recorded just two years earlier.
“The rate of autism in our country is truly alarming,” Kennedy said during a press briefing. “Autism destroys families. More importantly, it destroys our greatest resource, which is our children. These are children who should not be suffering like this.”
Kennedy, who has long positioned himself as a critic of certain public health narratives, called autism a “preventable disease”—a label that stands in contrast to the prevailing scientific consensus. The medical community defines autism not as a disease, but as a complex, lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that affects how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Symptoms and severity vary widely, ranging from minor social difficulties to significant cognitive and communication challenges.
While Kennedy’s remarks drew attention for their urgency, experts stress that there is no single known cause of autism. Years of research have established that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is influenced by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Scientific studies have explored a wide range of possible contributors including the age of parents at the time of conception, maternal diabetes, obesity, and prenatal exposure to certain chemicals. Still, no single environmental trigger has been definitively linked to causing autism.
Kennedy says his plan will “leave no stone unturned.” His Department of Health and Human Services will begin issuing grants to academic institutions and independent researchers across the country. These scientists will be directed to examine potential environmental contributors to autism and will be encouraged, Kennedy said, to “follow the science, no matter what it says.”
The Secretary previously set a September deadline for identifying the root causes of autism but acknowledged this week that while the timeline may be optimistic, the department intends to have “at least some” answers by then.
The CDC’s latest data, drawn from 14 states and Puerto Rico, reflect autism prevalence in 2022 among 8-year-old children—a common benchmark since most diagnoses occur by that age. The report found that boys continue to be diagnosed at higher rates than girls, and that prevalence is highest among Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Black children.
Public health experts say that the rise in autism diagnoses does not necessarily indicate a real increase in the condition’s incidence. Instead, they attribute the trend to enhanced awareness, improved screening tools, broader diagnostic criteria, and an expansion in services for children who may have previously gone undiagnosed.
Annette Estes, director of the University of Washington’s autism center, noted that the progress in identifying autism reflects decades of work by the medical and advocacy communities. “The reasons for increases in autism diagnosis come down to scientific and health care progress,” Estes said. “It’s hard for many people to understand this because the causes of autism are complex.”
Kennedy pushed back on that theory Wednesday, expressing skepticism that the surge can be explained solely by broader awareness. “That narrative doesn’t explain the scale and speed of the increase we’re seeing,” he said.
His initiative comes at a time when federal funding for public health and academic research is in flux. The Trump administration recently canceled billions of dollars in research grants previously awarded to universities, raising questions about how Kennedy’s initiative will be funded. When asked, he did not offer specifics on budget allocations but insisted the effort would be a top priority for his department.
Autism advocacy groups have responded with cautious optimism, welcoming further research while urging sensitivity and accuracy in how autism is discussed. Many families and individuals in the autism community emphasize that autism is not something to be “cured,” but understood and supported.
As Kennedy’s plan begins to take shape, scientists and advocates alike will be watching closely to see whether this expanded inquiry into environmental factors yields new insights—or reignites controversial theories long dismissed by mainstream medical organizations.
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