Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shares support for the measles MMR vaccine on X
Health and Human Services Secretary, and vaccine skeptic, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. endorses the measles vaccine following his visit to West Texas.
During a recent meeting with President Donald Trump’s Cabinet, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated that he anticipates his agency will soon identify the reason behind the “autism epidemic.”
“By September, we should know what has triggered the autism epidemic,” Kennedy said. “And we will work towards eliminating those exposures.” Referring to autism as an epidemic may provoke backlash, particularly from individuals within the autism community who view being autistic as a valid identity rather than a condition needing eradication, although others may find this perspective validating.
The CDC acknowledges that some individuals with autism spectrum disorder have “a known difference, such as a genetic condition, while other causes remain undetermined.”
“Scientists believe there may be multiple factors contributing to ASD that interact to influence developmental pathways,” the agency stated.
Kennedy’s statements were part of an update regarding his initiatives since joining Trump’s Cabinet in February.
“We have initiated an extensive testing and research program that will engage hundreds of scientists globally,” he shared about the efforts to uncover the causes of autism.
After Kennedy’s comments, Trump remarked, without substantiation, that autism might be linked to “something artificial” or “perhaps a vaccine.”
“No news conference will be bigger than that…,” Trump said. “If you can pinpoint what is leading to it—be it a food item or a vaccine—it’s a significant revelation.”
Kennedy is recognized for his anti-vaccine stance and has propagated disproven claims linking vaccines to autism.
In February, Trump mandated the establishment of a “Make America Healthy Again” Commission, which includes Kennedy and other secretaries, tasked with exploring various health concerns including autism and asthma rates in children, and the prescriptions given for conditions like ADHD.
Since 2000, autism diagnoses in the U.S. have surged, raising alarms among various communities. Research over several decades has aimed to uncover the genetic or environmental factors contributing to autism, yet the reasons for the majority of cases remain unknown.
Experts assert that the primary factors driving the rise in U.S. autism rates include an expanded diagnostic criteria that accommodates a broader range of behaviors and increased awareness and diagnosis of the condition.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintain that numerous studies have investigated any potential link between vaccines and autism and “to date, findings consistently show that vaccines do not correlate with” autism.
Contributing: Reuters, David Oliver
