Kennedy Aims to Unravel Environmental Causes of Autism

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced new studies to explore environmental factors contributing to autism's rise. Despite long-standing vaccine-autism claims, Kennedy calls for broader research including molds, food, and parental risks. Rates of autism in the U.S. have increased, sparking debate over causes and classification accuracy.

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Wednesday a plan to commission studies investigating environmental factors linked to the growing prevalence of autism in the United States. Kennedy's remarks came following the CDC's revelation that autism rates among 8-year-olds had reached 1 in every 31 in 2022.

The proposed research will explore elements such as mold, diet, and parental risk factors, moving the responsibility for autism monitoring to a new agency under Kennedy's oversight. His assertion that autism represents an epidemic was met with skepticism from advocates and researchers, who attribute rising rates to better diagnostics.

Despite past controversy over vaccine links to autism, Kennedy is setting a September deadline for answers from the National Institutes of Health. Studies will also delve into how genetic and environmental factors might intertwine to influence autism, pointing to recent findings about diabetes during pregnancy relating to neurological risks.

(With inputs from agencies.)