RFK Jr. Says US Is Launching Massive Effort to Pinpoint Cause of Spiking Autism Rates

‘By September, we will know what has caused the autism epidemic, and we’ll be able to eliminate those exposures,' the health secretary said.

(L-R): Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and President Donald Trump attend a Cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington on April 10, 2025. Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the United States has started a massive new effort to learn what has caused autism rates to spike in recent years.

“We’ve launched a massive testing and research effort that’s going to involve hundreds of scientists from around the world,” Kennedy said on April 10 during a Cabinet meeting in Washington.