Little RFK Little vows to find the cause of autism by September – Experts have questions

U.S. Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Kennedy, a longtime vaccine critic, has pushed for a popular theory of childhood shooting that can lead to autism in childhood, which he said will involve hundreds of scientists. He shared plans with U.S. President Donald Trump at a televised cabinet meeting.

Trump suggests that even though decades of research concluded that there is no link between the two, vaccines may be the responsibility for the autism rate.

Trump told Kennedy later: “Maybe it’s a shot. But what’s the reason for it is artificial.”

There is a scientific consensus that children’s vaccines do not cause autism. Kristyn Roth, spokesman for the American Autism Association, said rereading the ground would cause a wake-up call.

“People are deeply concerned that we are evaluating backwards and evaluating the theory that debunks,” Ross told the Associated Press.

Autism is a developmental condition that raises various symptoms that may include language delay, learning and differences in social or emotional skills. Autistic patients can also have a variety of support needs. About Two percent According to the Public Health Canada, Canadian children and adolescents are autistic.

Decades of research, including twins, have shown that genetics plays a big role in autism, but without a specific “autism gene.” The National Institutes of Health has spent more than $300 million in the U.S. to study autism every year, and also lists possible risk factors such as prenatal exposure to pesticides or air pollution, extreme premature birth or low birth weight, certain maternal health problems or parents at older age.

Dr. Melanie Penner, a senior clinician and developmental pediatrician at Bloorview Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital in the Netherlands, Toronto, told CBC News that this is “a very complex situation.”

“Our knowledge of autism shows that this has a very complex multi-factor source, and the difference between children. So we need to invest in science that can understand this nuance, understanding all of these complexities.”

Kennedy did not provide further details on how the research was conducted or the researchers were involved.

It seems ridiculous that a single cause of a condition with such a strong genetic component can be found in a few months, said Paul Offit, director of the Center for Vaccine Education at Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia. Kennedy might think this is feasible, because Kennedy probably believes he already knows the cause.

“He thinks vaccines can cause autism. No matter how much research is done to show he is wrong, he doesn’t believe them.” He is also a professor of pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Offit said he believes Kennedy’s ultimate goal is to make the vaccine “less, less likely, supportive and more frightening”.

“That’s what he’s doing, otherwise don’t pay attention to who he is and what he’s been doing for the past 20 years.”

Before Kennedy confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Health, the wave of health professionals urged senators to vote against the appointment – a letter signed by more than 800 health experts stressed that Kennedy’s lack of health expertise and “an unfounded collateral belief could seriously undermine public health practices.”

Diagnostic rate rises

Both Trump and Kennedy expressed concerns about the rise in the diagnosis of autism that Kennedy called the “epidemic.”

But experts say the diagnosis has increased, and awareness efforts have been made to raise awareness as the definition of autism expands.

For decades, diagnosis is considered very rare for children with serious communication or social problems. But about 30 years ago, with the development of scientific understanding, autism occurred on the spectrum and diagnostic criteria were expanded. Mild autism cases are more common than severe cases.

As screening and autism services improve, more and more diagnoses are occurring. Penner said that more advocacy for “a high history of autism for girls and women, gender-diverse people and racialized groups has led to an increase in diagnosis in these groups.

Still, anti-vaccine advocates, including Kennedy, claim to blame the vaccine. The theory was largely derived from a 1998 paper, The Journal of Medicine, which was later withdrawn as fraud.

Anne Borden King, co-founder of Autistics 4: Canadian self-consultants say it is a huge stigma when the discussion about autism focuses on “cause” or “cures.”

“We don’t want to be prevented, we want services that are useful for people with autism,” she said.

“The question I’m as an advocate is how much more of these wild goose chases we have to continue? When what we can really do is get all these scientists working, all of this research funding can work, and looking at the research that actually improves the quality of life for people with autism right now and now.”

Kennedy’s project has begun. The Department of Health and Human Services hired David Geier, who was once fined by Maryland for children without a doctor’s license to work in medicine and repeatedly claimed a link between vaccines and autism to lead federal research efforts.

The department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.