Independent autism committee that challenges RFK Jr’s overhaul draws criticism

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the HHS secretary, restructured the federal Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee in late January, appointing entirely new members that included fewer autistic people and several anti-vaccine advocates. Kennedy has long promoted debunked claims linking vaccines to autism, and his appointees to the committee previously promoted controversial treatments including bleach enemas. The first public meeting of the newly constituted committee was recently cancelled with minimal explanation, raising concerns within the autistic community about the direction of federal autism policy. The cancellation coincided with the emergence of a rival autism advisory organization, prompting questions about the priorities and composition of Kennedy's committee—which now has only one autistic member. The overhaul reflects tension between Kennedy's vaccine skepticism and the scientific consensus on autism, triggering criticism from autism advocates over representation and the credibility of the administration's advisory structure.