That Time RFK Jr Promised to Find the Cause of Autism

Remember that time that RFK Jr promised that he would find the cause of autism? And that he would find the cause of autism by September?

That Time RFK Jr Promised to Find the Cause of Autism

He was talking about last September, right?

In an interview with Kaitlan Collins last May, RFK Jr extended his deadline for revealing the cause of autism.

Actually, in an interview with Kaitlan Collins last May, he changed his deadline…

“The most solid information, it will probably take us another six months.”
Secretary Kennedy

Is that another six months from May?

Or another six months from his original September deadline?

Either way, RFK Jr should have told us something by now!

So did I miss an announcement or something?

“RFK Jr. promised to identify the causes of autism but has eliminated parts of his agency actively investigating them and has cut millions in funding for autism research.”
RFK Jr. Vowed to Find the Environmental Causes of Autism. Then He Shut Down Research Trying to Do Just That.

I don’t think so…

We did have the claims about Tylenol in pregnancy causing autism from RFK Jr last year, but he ended up walking that back…

And, last November, RFK Jr did change the CDC website to say that “the statement “Vaccines do not cause autism” is not an evidence-based claim.”

But he didn’t add any new evidence to support his ideas that vaccines are associated with autism though…

And as he did with ACIP, he has now replaced every member of the once independent Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee with people who will promote his agenda that vaccines are associated with autism.

“The current committee has been hijacked by a narrow, ideological agenda that does not reflect either the broad autism community or the state of autism science.”
Former federal advisers on autism who were let go by RFK Jr. form a new committee

That’s not all…

Not only did he not really follow through on his promise to find a cause of autism, he actually cut funding into autism research.

Research that was looking into environmental causes of autism.

Tragically, there’s still more!

“Once an ardent environmentalist who took on big polluters, RFK Jr. has been silent on Trump’s dismantling of efforts to combat climate change and pollution.”
RFK Jr. Vowed to Find the Environmental Causes of Autism. Then He Shut Down Research Trying to Do Just That.

RFK Jr hasn’t done anything as the Trump administration has cut regulations that were protecting our kids from dangerous pollution!

So while he rants about mercury in vaccines, he says nothing as the EPA repeals and rolls back regulations that kept power plants from emitting mercury into the air.

There are many organizations like ASAN that advocate for autistic people and push back against RFK Jr.'s misinformation. — There are many organizations like ASAN that advocate for autistic people and push back against RFK Jr.’s misinformation.

Still, it is important to know that there are many people pushing back!

“Framing autism as some kind of disease that needs to be eradicated is harmful,” she said. “It hurts autistic people living their lives right now.”
‘It becomes my whole job’: autism advocates fight RFK Jr’s barrage of misinformation

And you should too!

“Kennedy’s statements reflect a common but mistaken view—the idea that autistic people are broken versions of how others see themselves.”
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Dangers of Misunderstanding Autism

Don’t let RFK Jr and anti-vaccine influencers take over this conversation.

More on RFK Jr.’s Autism Promise

Last Updated on March 21, 2026

That Time RFK Jr Promised to Find the Cause of Autism