In first news conference as HHS secretary, Kennedy says autism is an epidemic in the US

CNN
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In his first information convention as secretary of the US Division of Well being and Human Companies, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated Wednesday that rising charges of autism prevalence within the US replicate a “preventable” crisis-level epidemic that has been brought on by an environmental toxin.

Advocates for folks with autism have criticized this place as dangerous and deceptive. Current analysis has defined autism as a multifactorial situation that’s influenced closely by genetics.

Specialists have largely attributed the regular rise in autism prevalence to raised understanding of and screening for the situation, together with a US Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention report this week that indicated a rising charge of autism together with “increased access to identification among previously underserved groups.”

However Kennedy amped up his message on Wednesday, saying that individuals who settle for this rationalization are “epidemic deniers” who’re enjoying into an “industry canard.”

“One of the things that I think that we need to move away from today is this ideology that the autism prevalence increases – the relentless increases – are simply artifacts of better diagnoses, better recognition or changing diagnostic criteria,” he stated.

He additionally referred to as for “real-time data” on autism prevalence, likening autism to a measles epidemic.

“We don’t wait two years to react to a measles epidemic … or any kind of infectious disease. We shouldn’t have to do that for diabetes or autism,” he stated.

Dr. Walter Zahorodny, an affiliate professor on the Rutgers New Jersey Medical Faculty and a co-author of the brand new CDC report, joined Kennedy at Wednesday’s information convention and echoed his declare that the rise in autism prevalence is an “urgent public health crisis” that might not solely be attributed to raised consciousness.

“I would urge everyone to consider the likelihood that autism – whether we call it an epidemic, a tsunami or a surge of autism – is a real thing that we don’t understand, and it must be triggered or caused by environmental or risk factors,” he stated. “We need to address this question seriously because, in my opinion, for the last 20 years, we’ve collected data but not made real progress in understanding what causes autism or how to effectively prevent it or treat it effectively.”

Kennedy stated that autism analysis will fall below the brand new Administration for Wholesome America, in a brand new power illness division. He stated that he plans to announce a “series of new studies to identify precisely what the environmental toxins are that are causing it” inside a number of weeks.

The reason for autism isn’t absolutely understood, however analysis has indicated that genetics could play a major position. However Kennedy stated that this line of research is a “dead end,” as an alternative pointing to elements together with mould, pesticides, medicines and ultrasounds.

“Genes do not cause epidemics. It can provide a vulnerability. You need an environmental toxin,” Kennedy stated.

On Tuesday, the CDC revealed new knowledge exhibiting that autism charges elevated amongst youngsters within the US. About 1 in each 31 youngsters was identified with autism by age 8 in 2022, up from 1 in 36 in 2020.

Enhancements in early identification of autism “have been apparent,” the authors of the CDC report wrote, and “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.”

The brand new research is predicated on surveillance knowledge from 16 areas that take part within the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Community. The information is just not nationally consultant and encompasses a unique set of websites than the final report with knowledge from 2020, which captured knowledge from solely 11 websites.

Kennedy’s feedback on autism have confronted sharp criticism from advocates for folks with autism, together with the Autism Society of America, which stated it’s “harmful, misleading, and unrealistic” for HHS to pledge that the reason for autism shall be shortly recognized and exposures eradicated.

“Claiming that Autism is ‘preventable’ is not science based, and places unnecessary blame on people, parents and families,” Christopher Banks, CEO of the society, stated in a press release Tuesday. “Autism is not a chronic disease, nor a childhood disease, it is a lifelong developmental condition; it is not an epidemic, nor should it be compared to the Covid-19 pandemic, and using language like that perpetuates falsehoods, stigma and stereotypes. The prevalence rates tell us that there is progress when it relates to improved screening and diagnostics, AND it emphasizes the need for more robust, comprehensive research and data rooted in credible methodologies.”