Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known anti-vaccine advocate, has caused widespread outrage after making false and offensive claims about autism at a press conference on April 16. He dismissed the idea that rising autism rates are due to better diagnoses and instead labeled it an “epidemic.” RFK Jr. wrongly claimed that people with autism will never be able to work, date, write poetry, or use the toilet independently. These remarks were heavily criticized by the public, especially by autistic individuals and their families, who pointed out that autism is a spectrum and many people with ASD live full, successful lives.

Previously, RFK Jr. pledged to eliminate the cause of autism by September through a global research effort under the NIH. He claimed an unidentified environmental toxin is to blame. Donald Trump supported his stance, suggesting without evidence that vaccines or other artificial exposures might be the cause. However, scientific consensus strongly disputes these claims. The CDC states that while some autism cases have known genetic links, vaccines are not connected to autism. Experts believe that increased diagnoses are largely due to broader definitions and improved awareness, not a mysterious environmental cause.