RFK, Jr.'s overhauled autism advisory board cancels first public meeting

"The government's advisory board on autism research has cancelled a public meeting scheduled for March 19. This would have been the first public meeting of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), a group that guides federally funded autism research, since health secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., entirely overhauled the group's membership in January. He appointed 21 new members, some of whom are vaccine skeptics."

"The news of the cancellation broke on March 7, the same week that a group of autism experts formed an independent group to counter misinformation. This outside group, which calls itself the Independent Autism Coordinating Committee (I-ACC), scheduled a meeting on the same day as the federal IACC meeting. The rival group includes several former members of the federal advisory board."

The government's Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), which guides federal autism research funding, cancelled its first public meeting since Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. restructured the committee in January by appointing 21 new members, including vaccine skeptics. The cancellation announcement coincided with the formation of an independent rival group called the Independent Autism Coordinating Committee (I-ACC), composed of autism experts and former federal board members, scheduled to meet on the same day. The Department of Health and Human Services confirmed the postponement, citing the importance of the committee's work and community interest while stating they would reschedule.

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