"But while tapping into growing mistrust of mainstream medicine and promoting controversial autism theories could energize some disillusioned voters, it risks alienating people with the condition, their families, and experts who view his rhetoric as harmful and misleading. "It's a huge issue and going to be an important part of the midterm election," said Republican lobbyist Marty Irby, who previously represented the MAHA-aligned group Moms for America."
"People with autism are especially incensed by Kennedy's treatment of the condition as a disease rather than a lifelong condition that should be better understood and accommodated to help them live with dignity. "What he's peddling here isn't just ignorance, it's institutionalized hopelessness," actress Holly Robinson Peete, a longtime autism advocate, said on Instagram. "From the very office that's supposed to protect public health we're getting fear and shame and blame and misinformation.""
"The other side: "Secretary Kennedy is focused on answers and action for families as autism spectrum disorder has surged nearly 400% since 2000 and now affects 1 in 31 U.S. children," a Health and Human Services spokesperson said in a statement to Axios. State of play: Kennedy and his backers believe the effort is resonating with parents who feel they've been gaslit by the medical community and the media about the causes of the neurodevelopmental disorder."
Kennedy promotes controversial theories linking prenatal exposures, including acetaminophen, to autism and signals skepticism about mainstream medical explanations. His claims have energized some parents who distrust the medical community and may influence midterm political messaging. Health officials later walked back specific assertions about acetaminophen. Autistic people and advocates condemn framing autism as a disease, calling the rhetoric stigmatizing, misleading, and harmful. A Health and Human Services spokesperson framed Kennedy as seeking answers for families, citing a reported rise in autism diagnoses. The debate risks politicizing public health and straining relationships with affected families and experts.
Read at Axios
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