"US health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has filled an autism committee with friends, associates, and former colleagues who believe that autism is caused by vaccines. Autism advocates are now worried the group could pave the way for dangerous pseudoscientific treatments going mainstream. Last week, Kennedy announced an entirely new line-up for the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), a group that recommends what types of autism research the government should fund and provides guidance on the services the autism community requires."
"In a statement announcing the new panel, which includes no previous members, Kennedy claimed that he has appointed "the most qualified experts-leaders with decades of experience studying, researching, and treating autism." But health experts and autism advocates strongly disagree, and a review of the new members of the group suggests that Kennedy appointed members of the anti-vaccine community who claim vaccines cause autism-despite there being no evidence to prove such a claim."
"Among those appointed last week was Daniel Rossignol, a doctor who was sued for alleged fraud after prescribing a 7-year-old autistic child a debunked and dangerous treatments. Tracy Slepcevic, an appointee who Kennedy calls a "dear friend," offers exposure to a wide range of bogus autism cures at her annual Autism Health Summit, including one that involves the injection of animal stem cells into children."
US health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. replaced the membership of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) with entirely new appointees. The panel now includes friends, associates, and former colleagues who publicly believe vaccines cause autism. Several appointees promote discredited or dangerous interventions, including injections of animal stem cells and other purported cures, and one was sued over prescribing harmful treatments. Health experts and autism advocates warn these appointments could shift government research priorities and normalize pseudoscientific therapies, despite lack of credible evidence linking vaccines to autism. The IACC recommends federal autism research funding and advises on services for autistic people.
Read at WIRED
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