Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is raising alarms over what he calls a “crisis” in autism diagnoses across the U.S. He pledged to launch sweeping new research into potential environmental causes of the condition.
“We’re seeing kids being diagnosed with autism at an alarming rate,” Kennedy said. “This is something we need to understand better—and fast.”
His comments came just a day after the CDC released a new report estimating that 1 in 31 children in the U.S. are now diagnosed with autism. That’s a jump from the 1 in 36 reported in 2020.
Experts in autism welcomed Kennedy’s push for more research but pointed out that the rise in diagnoses isn’t necessarily a mystery. They say the numbers have gone up in part because the definition of autism has broadened to include milder cases—and awareness has improved dramatically.
Still, Kennedy is undeterred. “Autism destroys families,” he said. “More importantly, it destroys our greatest resource—our children. They shouldn’t have to suffer like this.”
Kennedy also described autism as a “preventable disease,” a statement at odds with how most scientists view it. Autism isn’t considered a disease, but a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with a wide range of symptoms, from language and learning delays to challenges with social interaction. It affects each person differently, and in some cases, signs don’t become clear until adulthood.
While researchers have found strong genetic links to autism, they’ve also looked at other possible influences—like the age of the parents, maternal health during pregnancy, and exposure to certain environmental factors. But there’s no single known cause.
Kennedy says his department will explore all those factors and more. He had previously promised to get answers by September but now says he expects at least “some” answers by then. His plan includes funding new university research with grants and, he says, allowing scientists to “follow the science, no matter what it says.”
This comes after the Trump administration pulled billions in science and health research funding from universities, a move Kennedy criticized.
The CDC’s new autism data, collected in 2022 from 14 states and Puerto Rico, still shows that boys are diagnosed at higher rates than girls. The highest rates of diagnosis were among Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Black children.
The CDC based its estimates on medical and school records of 8-year-olds, since most autism diagnoses are made by that age. While other researchers publish their own estimates, the CDC’s numbers are considered the gold standard.
Kennedy also pushed back against the idea that more awareness and better detection are the main reasons for the rise in autism rates.
But many experts disagree. “The increase in autism diagnoses is actually a sign of progress in science and health care,” said Annette Estes, who heads the autism center at the University of Washington. “It’s just hard for a lot of people to wrap their heads around because the causes are so complex.”
The Autism Science Foundation echoed that sentiment and criticized Kennedy’s focus on environmental causes, saying it doesn’t line up with the CDC’s findings.
