RFK Jr. Misleads on Autism Prevalence, Causes

In announcing new autism prevalence data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. distorted scientific research to argue that there is an “epidemic” of autism that must be due to an “environmental toxin.”

The main finding of the new CDC publication — that among 8-year-olds at the selected study sites, 1 in 31 had autism in 2022, up from 1 in 36 in 2020 — represents the latest increase in estimated prevalence of the neurodevelopmental condition, also referred to as autism spectrum disorder, or ASD. 

However, researchers have long warned that the rising numbers do not indicate a commensurate increase in the true prevalence of autism. While there may be some true rise, researchers say that broadening diagnostic criteria, increased awareness, the gradual introduction of universal autism screening by pediatricians and the growing availability of services help explain rising reported rates of the condition.