Health Secretary Says Environmental Factors, Not Genetics, Behind Spike in Autism

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said studies will be conducted to identify the factors.

Nathan Worcester

Senior Reporter

Zachary Stieber

Senior Reporter

4/16/2025|Updated: 4/19/2025

0:00

WASHINGTON—The spike in autism has been caused by environmental factors as opposed to genetics, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on April 16.

Kennedy said at a press conference in Washington that autism is a preventable disease caused by environmental factors, with possibilities including mold, air, medicines, and the increase in the average age of parents.

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Nathan Worcester is an award-winning journalist for The Epoch Times based in Washington, D.C. He frequently covers Capitol Hill, elections, and the ideas that shape our times. He has also written about energy and the environment. Nathan can be reached at [email protected]