Don’t Believe RFK Jr. on Autism, Says New Report from Defend Public Health

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. promising to announce “causes” of a supposed “autism epidemic” this month, Defend Public Health is preemptively warning the public not to trust anything that he or HHS says on the subject without confirming with other sources. To arm journalists and the public with the facts, DPH has released a summary of what is known and not known about causes and risk factors for autism spectrum disorder, including the extensive evidence that vaccines are not to blame, in its new report, Risk Factors for Autism Spectrum Disorder: What We Already Know from Scientific Evidence.

“Kennedy has been peddling nonsense about vaccines and autism for years,” said Elizabeth Jacobs, Ph.D., Professor Emerita of Epidemiology from the University of Arizona and lead author of DPH’s new report. “He’s shown again and again that he’s wedded to his pet beliefs, even when there’s no real evidence to back them up, and dismisses out of hand any data that prove him wrong. He’s clearly on a hunt for anything that seems to back up his views, no matter how much he has to stretch the truth to get it. He’s a charlatan and needs to be treated as the dishonest huckster he is.”

Dr. James Alwine, a virologist and professor emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania, added, “This report clearly documents and explains the many scientific studies that show that, without a doubt, vaccines are safe and they do not cause autism”.

There is no “autism epidemic.” We’ve gotten better at understanding, diagnosing andreporting cases of autism spectrum disorder, which largely accounts for the increased number of cases in recent years.
Genetics are overwhelmingly the primary risk factor for autism. This is shown by a wide range of studies, including research looking at identical and fraternal twins and non-twin siblings which found that genes account for up to 90% of autism risk.
Other factors termed “environmental” can play a role, often interacting with genetics. One significant risk factor is infectious diseases, either during pregnancy or during childhood, a problem that could potentially be made worse if officials discourage or restrict childhood vaccination.
Vaccines do not cause autism. This has been demonstrated again and again in studies that followed literally millions of children between them.

###

Defend Public Health is an all-volunteer network of public health researchers, healthcare workers, advocates and allies fighting to protect the health of all from the Trump administration's cruel attacks on proven, science-based public health policies. We believe that everyone has the right to what they need for a healthy life, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity.
DefendPublicHealth.org