RFK Jr. says government to launch new studies on link between toxins, autism amid pushback

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: USA TODAY

RFK Jr. says government to launch new studies on link between toxins, autism amid pushback

Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy
USA TODAY
Updated April 16, 2025, 1:50 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON- Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is doubling down on his view that toxins in the environment contribute to autism with a series of new studies to investigate the issue as scientists continue to push back on his claims.

Speaking on April 16 at his first press conference since joining President Donald Trump's Cabinet, Kennedy also pushed back against criticism for describing an uptick in the neuro-developmental disorder among American children as as "epidemic."

"We're gonna announce a series of new studies to identify precisely what the environmental toxins are that are causing it," he said. "This has not been done before."

{snip}

Contributing: Adrianna Rodriguez, Alyssa Goldberg

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/04/16/health-secretary-kennedy-autism-toxins/83115815007/

[JBTaurus83]

1. What would it matter?

The GOP doesn't believe in regulations on companies who create toxins.

[Basso8vb]

2. Just keep making shit up, Mr Brainworm.

[Henry203]

3. launch an investigation on people eating roadkill

[yardwork]

4. Not been done before? You lying cretin.

The NIH was funding lots of studies about the causes of autism - which you eliminated, you moron!!!

[twodogsbarking]

5. Didn't he admit to using a lot of not legal drugs? Did he have a firearm at that time?

Have we ever seen his birth certificate?

[3catwoman3]

6. There will be no single cause identified for autism.

Just like there has been no single cause for cancer.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

7. CDC autism report disputes RFK Jr's claims about why the condition is on the rise

There are more autism cases because we are better at diagnosing autism
https://bsky.app/profile/the-independent.com/post/3lmwe7aej422x

Link to tweet

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/autism-cdc-robert-f-kennedy-jr-b2734181.html

However, the CDC’s experts dispute the idea that the condition is becoming more widespread, despite the rise in its data, instead attributing the uptick in cases to improved diagnostics.

The report’s authors say advances in screening and testing “have been apparent” since its last report was published and suggest that “differences in the prevalence of children identified with [autism spectrum disorder] across communities might be due to differences in availability of services for early detection and evaluation and diagnostic practices.”.....

Christopher Banks, president and CEO of the Autism Society of America, also rejected Kennedy’s suggestion that greater prevalence in diagnosis represents an epidemic, saying the spread of “fear, misinformation, or political rhetoric” was not constructive and instead called for fresh research funding.

“It is likely you know or love someone with autism, and we need credible, science-based research to better understand autism, its contributing factors, and the diversity of needs across the spectrum,” he said.

“Further exploring data like this report, requires significant funding, expert-led, quality, transparent research methodology, that follows peer-reviewed due process.”

At a White House cabinet meeting last week, President Donald Trump joined Kennedy in musing on the vaccine theory, saying: “You stop taking something, you stop eating something, or maybe it’s a shot, but something’s causing it.”