In the heel of a new report that shows that the level of diagnosis of autism has increased again, the Secretary of Health and Humanitarian Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he was determined to find “environmental exposure” behind the increase and direct the National Institute of Health to launch a new study into “everything” – from fungus to obesity – which has the potential to be a factor.
Kennedy, who prioritizes autism as one of the chronic diseases that he is diligent to overcome his aim to “make America healthy again,” with perseverance pushing back to the explanation that the definition that expands the interference of autism spectrum is a significant contributor for more autism diagnosis.
Secretary of Health and Humanitarian Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Speaking during a press conference at the Ministry of Health and Humanitarian Services, April 16, 2025, in Washington, DC
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Kennedy said he wanted to “stay away” from the idea that “the prevalence of autism increases – increased without stopping – is just an artifact of a better diagnosis, better recognition or changing diagnostic criteria.”
“The rejection of this epidemic has become a feature in the mainstream media, and this is based on the industrial canard. And obviously there are people who do not want us to see environmental exposure,” Kennedy said, speaking at a press conference at the department headquarters on Wednesday in Washington, DC
The report mentioned by Kennedy – published Tuesday by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention – estimates that the prevalence of autism has increased to 1 in 31 children, called Kennedy “Surprisingly.”
In 2020, the same report found a prevalence of 1 in 36, and more than two decades ago in 2000, the number was 1 in 150.
Experts in the field agreed that the level of diagnosis increased and that environmental factors can play a role -but also say that most of the increase can be associated with the definition of developing autism, which extends dramatically in the last few decades to include features that are smoother than the disease, including new descriptors in 2013.
“This is a fair question” to ask why the prevalence of autism is increasing, Dr. Catherine Lord, a psychologist and autism researcher at the Medical School David Geffen Uchla, told ABC News, but she said that it was also important to admit how much had changed.
“There is a big change in terms of awareness of autism, especially awareness of autism without severe intellectual disability, which has really changed even since I entered this field,” Lord said.
The study also shows that the risk of autism is very rooted in genetics, as much as 80%.
Dr. Walter Zahorodny, a clinical psychologist and professor who studied autism at Rutgers University, joined Kennedy at Tuesday’s press conference to emphasize that there had been a “true improvement” in the case, something he said had been seen throughout his career in New Jersey – although he was recognized, unlike Kennedy.
“This is a correct increase. There is a better awareness of autism, but better awareness of autism cannot encourage disability such as autism to increase by 300% in 20 years,” Zahorodny said, referring to studies from New Jersey and CDC reports.
Zahorodny said that he found the cause was very important and regretted the lack of progress to “answer this question seriously” during his career.
“I will urge everyone to consider the possibility of autism, whether we call it epidemic, tsunami or waves of autism, is a real thing that we do not understand, and it must be triggered or caused by environmental or risk factors,” he said.
Kennedy on Tuesday acknowledged that an increase in the diagnosis of autism was partially caused by an increase in awareness, but said that still leaving most of the diagnosis leaps that were not found.
He calls it “cannot be maintained” to accept awareness as the main reason, describing the high betting of a destroyed family and “individual tragedy.”
“Autism destroys the family, and more importantly, it destroys our greatest resources, namely our children. These are children who should not suffer like this,” Kennedy said. “These are children who will never pay taxes, they will never have a job, they will never play baseball, they will never write poetry, they will never date. Many of them will never use the toilet without help.”
“We must realize that we do this to our children, and we need to end it,” he added.
However, not every case is as severe as explained by Kennedy; Many people are diagnosed with autism living a very functional adult life. The new CDC report found less than 40% of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders classified as intellectual disabilities, which means IQ is less than 70.
Barry Prizant, an additional professor at the Communicative Disorder Department at Rhode Island University and Child Communication Service Director, told ABC News that Kennedy’s comments were wrong to describe what autism was like for the family.
“I do not ignore the challenges. There are many challenges, and many of them are obstacles for services,” he said. “We have been retreating parents weekends for 27 years, where we spend the weekend with 60 parents and family members, and we do not meet family members and parents who say, ‘Autism is only a tragedy and it is hell in our lives.’ They talk about positive and negative things, excitement and challenges. “
Autism Speaks also released a statement on Wednesday, said Kennedy’s comments “were very disappointing and destructive.”
“Autism is not a condition that can be prevented,” said non -profit autism. “Suggestions that it is mainly when it is related to environmental poison without scientific evidence-contributing to wrong information and distracting from the real needs of autistic people and their families.”
Kennedy said here, led by Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a former professor at Stanford University, will soon announce a series of new studies aimed at identifying which environmental poison to be blamed. Kennedy quoted mushrooms, food, pesticides, drugs, ultrasound, and age and the health of parents that might occur.
Kennedy fulfilled the requirement that this research would give “several answers” in September, which was a variation – welcomed by experts – from his claim to President Donald Trump last week that “in September, we will know what caused the epidemic of autism.”
However, he also claimed on Tuesday: “We know this is an environmental exposure.”
Asked by ABC News whether he would be committed to following the science expressed by the study, regardless of his current hopes of what caused an increase in diagnosis, the secretary said yes.
“We will follow science no matter what he said,” he said.
Medical experts have studied the potential causes of autism for decades. Research until now shows that autism is driven by genetics, and the risk can increase when paired with certain external factors, such as having children at an older age or pollutant exposure.
“This is not simple,” Lord said. “If you see high -quality publications, these findings are small and, in terms of causes other than genetics, it is quite difficult to imitate. It does not mean they are wrong, but only because we don’t know what they should.”
HHS or here has not provided details about how new studies will be conducted in the given time period, but Kennedy promised transparency, by saying the study would be carried out by means of traditional funding to academic institutions through here.