US HHS secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. rejects the idea that rising autism rates are due to better diagnosis, with CDC data showing a 17% jump from 2020 to 2022.

FACTS

  • Kennedy blames environmental triggers, not genetics, arguing that “genes do not cause epidemics” 
  • HHS will fund new research into environmental causes of autism, pledging support for scientists without fear of censorship
US HHS secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. rejects the idea that rising autism rates are due to better diagnosis, with CDC data showing a 17% jump from 2020 to 2022.