A severe autism advocate responds to RFK Jr.’s research initiative

Enlarge this image U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks at the news conference where he announced new initiatives to determine the cause of autism. Alex Wong/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Alex Wong/Getty Images U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks at the news conference where he announced new initiatives to determine the cause of autism. Alex Wong/Getty Images About one in 31 children in the U.S. has been identified with autism spectrum disorder, according to CDC data released this month. When Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. discussed these findings, he declared that autism is a rapidly growing “epidemic” in the U.S. and vowed to identify the “environmental toxin” he says is to blame. Which of Kennedy’s remarks rang true to those in the autism community? Jill Escher is the president of the National Council on Severe Autism, and had both gratitude and criticism for the new initiative. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Sponsor Message Email us at [email protected]. This episode was produced by Mia Venkat. It was edited by Patrick Jarenwattananon and Courtney Dorning. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.