Autism Backlash: RFK Jr. Urged to Resign Over Claim
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., official portrait, 2025. Photo courtesy of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Public domain.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is once again at the center of controversy — this time with a sweeping federal initiative that critics warn could jeopardize privacy and stigmatize millions of Americans.
The proposal, announced in April 2025, would create a national autism data platform using Medicare, Medicaid, pharmacy, and wearable device data to hunt down what Kennedy describes as the "environmental toxin" that he alleges causes autism, according to NPR.
But the backlash has been fierce and swift, with medical experts, privacy advocates, and members of the autism community accusing Kennedy of reviving discredited theories and making dangerously misleading claims.
What Kennedy Wants
Kennedy's plan, developed in partnership with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), calls for mining data from more than one-third of Americans — those enrolled in federal insurance programs — to study the factors behind autism. The system would pull together electronic health records, insurance claims, pharmacy transactions, and even biometric readings from wearables like smartwatches and glucose monitors.
Kennedy has described wearable health devices as essential to his broader "Make America Healthy Again" agenda, even launching a major public campaign to encourage their adoption. He promoted these devices for their potential to give individuals real-time insights into their health metrics.
He also asserted, in a post on X that received mixed reactions, that "wearables put the power of health back in the hands of the American people," according to CNET.
Privacy Fears and Vaccine Backlash
The announcement triggered alarm bells, particularly among privacy watchdogs and autism advocacy groups. Critics say Kennedy's rhetoric — calling autism a "preventable disease" and an "epidemic" that is more dangerous than COVID-19 — stokes fear and misinformation, according to Newsweek.
Some fear this so-called data platform could morph into something more sinister: a de facto registry of Americans with autism. While Kennedy's agency insists the project is a research platform — not a registry — concerns remain high, especially after leaked briefings suggested otherwise.
Helen Tager-Flusberg, a prominent autism researcher at Boston University, questioned how personal data will be protected. "CMS data includes certain information about individuals — age/date of birth, sex, where they live. It is possible to identify a person based on knowledge about these characteristics," she told NPR. "While the NIH Director provides assurances that privacy protections will be put in place, we have seen other examples of how this administration has given permission to identify people to certain people working for the federal government. How will this registry be protected?"
The situation is further complicated by Kennedy's long history of promoting the debunked theory that vaccines cause autism — a belief soundly rejected by the global medical community. Although Kennedy has avoided direct claims in recent months, his language continues to evoke these discredited ideas.
Offensive Characterizations of Autistic People
Public outrage intensified after Kennedy described people with autism as individuals who "will never pay taxes, they'll never hold a job, they'll never play baseball, they'll never write a poem, they'll never go out on a date. Many of them will never use a toilet unassisted," according to Vox.
Stars of the Netflix series "Love on the Spectrum," Dani Bowman and James B. Jones, both autistic, publicly demanded Kennedy's resignation following the remarks. Speaking on Vox's "Today, Explained" podcast, Bowman said the comments were not just wrong — they were damaging. "It really honestly broke my heart because words like that don't describe reality; they shape it. They can either build people up or tear them down. And the idea that autistic people are automatically a burden? That kind of thinking destroys hope," she said.
She continued, "And let’s be clear, this isn't about politics. It's not about being red, blue, or whatever side you're on. It's about the language we use, and how that language either fuels hope or crushes it. We people on the autism spectrum are capable human beings. All we need is a loving push from the support of our friends and family to keep moving forward to independent, fulfilling lives."
Jones added, "I certainly must say that the idea that people with autism are incapable of driving vehicles, paying bills, or living independently is completely false. I've had my driver's license for 20 years, since I was 17. I pay practically all of my own expenses, and I work a 40-hour-per-week job with benefits that I've held steadily since 2017."
A High-Stakes Showdown
Kennedy has vowed to identify the cause of autism by September — a deadline experts say is not only unrealistic, but dangerously reductive. NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya attempted to walk back the statement, saying a one-year timeline was more appropriate.
While autism prevalence has risen — from 1 in 150 children in 2000 to 1 in 31 in 2022 — most scientists agree that improved screening and broader diagnostic criteria account for much of the increase.
Yet Kennedy insists that autism is "preventable," and that Americans deserve answers that the government has allegedly failed to deliver for decades, according to Newsweek.
Final Thoughts
At its core, Kennedy's initiative represents a high-stakes clash over the limits of government health surveillance, the role of science in policy, and the dignity of neurodiverse individuals. For some, the plan signals a bold new approach to solving an urgent public health issue. For others, it's a dangerous slide toward surveillance and stigma.
References: RFK Jr. says autism database will use Medicare and Medicaid info | RFK Jr. Announces All Americans Need Health Tracking Devices: Here Are the Pros and Cons | RFK Jr's bonkers plan to fit every American with a tracking device as he hunts for causes of cancer, autism | Love on the Spectrum stars call on RFK Jr. to resign | RFK Jr. autism study registry faces criticism
