Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been hit with backlash over his efforts to study autism by obtaining private medical records and launching a registry to track Americans with the condition.
Autism is described by the Mayo Clinic as a ‘condition related to brain development’ which can present differently depending on the person – but RFK Jr., the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, has suggested the condition is preventable and even claimed there has been an ‘autism epidemic’ at play.
Speaking at a Cabinet meeting at the White House on April 17, Kennedy said: “We’ve launched a massive testing and research effort that’s going to involve hundreds of scientists from around the world. In September, we will know what has caused the autism epidemic and we’ll be able to eliminate those exposures.”
RFK Jr. said the study will involve ‘hundreds’ of scientists