Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Thursday that the United States will identify the cause of autism by September, setting a deadline that has eluded researchers for years.
The number of autism diagnoses in the United States has increased significantly since 2000, sparking public outcry. By 2020, the autism rate in the United States among 8-year-olds was 1 in 36, or 2.77 percent, up from 2.27 percent in 2018 and 0.66 percent in 2000, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“At your direction, we will know by September. We have begun an extensive testing and research program that will involve hundreds of scientists from around the world,” Mr. Kennedy said at a meeting of President Donald Trump's cabinet.
“By September, we will know what is causing the rise in autism cases and we will be able to address those factors,” he added.
While the government has not released details of its plans, Christine Roth, marketing director for the advocacy group Autism Society of America, expressed doubt that September would be an achievable target.
Epidemic claim 'irresponsible'
Referring to the rise in autism cases as an epidemic is “incredibly irresponsible and deeply concerning,” Ms. Roth said, adding that it “fuels fear and paranoia” and stigmatizes people with autism.
“Autism is a lifelong condition that affects people differently,” she explained.
In February, Mr. Trump ordered the creation of a “Make America Healthy Again” commission, which will include Mr. Kennedy and other secretaries, to monitor everything from rates of autism and asthma in children to the number of drugs they are prescribed to treat ADHD and other conditions.
“There has to be something artificial that is facilitating this,” Mr. Trump told Mr. Kennedy at the meeting. “There will be no more significant press conference than when you give that answer.”
Scientists have spent decades studying what genetic and environmental factors may influence the development of autism, but the causes of most cases remain unknown.
They believe the main factors behind the rise in autism cases in the United States are a broader definition to include more behaviors, as well as increased awareness and diagnosis.
A major new study this week confirmed that diabetes during pregnancy is linked to an increased risk of brain and nervous system problems in children, including autism.
Mr Kennedy has long promoted a discredited link between vaccines and autism, despite scientific evidence to the contrary.
“We'll look at vaccines, but we'll also look at everything else. Everything is going to be looked at: our food system, our water, our air, the different ways we raise children, all the factors that could have triggered this epidemic,” Mr. Kennedy told Fox News.
“Rapid release of disinformation”
There may already be a lot of research underway into autism, a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects brain function.
Last month, Reuters reported that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is planning a major study on the potential link between vaccines and autism.
Vaccination skeptic
Democrats in the US House of Representatives last week sent Mr Kennedy a letter criticising his decision to hire discredited vaccine skeptic David Geier to study possible links. Geier was fined by Maryland for practicing medicine without a license and prescribing dangerous treatments to children with autism.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
