Coalition of Autism Scientists Critiques U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Autism Research Initiative
Boston, MA, April 25, 2025 – The newly formed Coalition of Autism Scientists today issued a statement in response to remarks and actions taken by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regarding the study of autism. Led by Helen Tager-Flusberg, Ph.D., Professor Emerita, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Director of the Center for Autism Research, Boston University, this growing group of experienced research scientists from across the United States came together to reject Mr. Kennedy’s false narrative about the incidence and causes of autism, instead urging HHS to focus on established, research approaches that already inform the global understanding of autism.
Dr. Tager-Flusberg said, “The Coalition of Autism Scientists came together to demand respect for autism research. Instead of focusing on questions that have been asked and answered, limited and valuable research dollars must focus on what we don’t yet know about autism so that we can meet the urgent needs of autism individuals and their families.”
Full Statement from the Coalition of Autism Scientists
“For more than three decades, the National Institutes of Health has invested substantial resources into research to advance knowledge about autism spectrum disorder. As scientists dedicated to this venture, we have witnessed many remarkable achievements in our field revealing the complexity of autism. These include: discovery of hundreds of genes associated with autism; identification of environmental factors that may interact with genetic predisposition; knowledge about differences in brain architecture and function; documenting the significant prevalence rates across the globe; divergent presentations and highly variable outcomes; early development of brain and behavioral signs in infants; and the development and evaluation of innovative interventions that improve autism symptoms and enhance quality of life for individuals and their families.
Considering these advances, we were deeply troubled to hear the Secretary of Health & Human Services dismiss past research, downplay the causal role of genes, and portray autistic people in ways that counter our experiences and demean their value to society. We are unified in our commitment to conduct the highest quality research and build mutual respect and trust with the public. This trust is seriously threatened by the Secretary’s interpretation of the rising prevalence rates and his plans to carry out a study that will deliver findings within a few months on an environmental toxin that causes autism. We fully support genuine advances in the field, so we urge the Secretary to register the planned study protocol, provide time for public comment, include independent data analysts, and make the data available to the scientific community. Following these widely accepted scientific practices that ensure research integrity, will allow the planned study to build on the strong foundation of prior research and help guide future work to unravel the causes of this complex disorder and lead to new approaches in how we support individuals and their families.”
A full list of signatories is available at this link: Coalition of Autism Scientists Signatories List
About the Coalition of Autism Scientists
The Coalition of Autism Scientists formed in 2025 and is comprised of the leading autism researchers across the United States. It is led by Helen Tager-Flusberg, Ph.D., Professor Emerita, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Director of the Center for Autism Research, Boston University. Shortly, the Coalition of Autism Scientists will launch a website at https://coalitionofautismscientists.org
Media Contact: Jessica Daitch, JLD Communications, LLC, Jessica@jldcommunications.com, 917-816-6712
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