Click here to read a plain language explainer of this statement.
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, September 24, 2025
Organizational Contacts:
AAPD: Jess Davidson, [email protected]; 202-465-5528
AUCD: Lillie Heigl, [email protected]
The Arc: [email protected]
ASAN: [email protected]
Autism Society: [email protected]
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Monday, September 22, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announced the department’s actions to address what he called the “epidemic of autism.” The theories that Secretary Kennedy presented to the public demonstrate his continued disrespect for autistic people and follow a now-familiar pattern of citing debunked claims, demeaning people with disabilities, and spreading misinformation about vaccines and autism.
The White House also held a press conference on Monday where they raised unfounded concerns about acetaminophen as a potential cause of autism. Acetaminophen is commonly sold under the brand name Tylenol. The President went as far as to explicitly tell pregnant people “don’t take Tylenol,” repeated incorrect information about the history of the prevalence of autism, and called for several changes to the childhood vaccine schedule and to the ingredients of vaccines.
These unfounded and unscientific claims that Tylenol causes autism endanger the lives of pregnant people and go against the advice of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Acetaminophen is widely considered the safest option for pregnant people when it comes to over-the-counter medication that is needed to treat pain or fevers, and it is certainly better than letting a fever go untreated. Autism existed long before Tylenol was sold. Similarly, the administration’s claims about autism and vaccines are dangerous to children, immunocompromised people, and to our nation’s public health more broadly. Three decades of scientific research have repeatedly shown that vaccines and their ingredients do not cause autism. Claims that autism is “preventable” by taking—or not taking—certain medications are not supported by scientific consensus and serve only to perpetuate stigma against autistic people.
HHS leadership also announced approval of the drug leucovorin to “treat” autism. Limited evidence exists studying the effects of leucovorin on autistic people. The studies that do exist have small sample sizes and are not a substitute for large, robust clinical trials. Approval of this drug as an autism “treatment” at this time exposes autistic people to a range of unknown risks. Autism is complex and multifactorial, presenting differently from person to person. Autistic people need self-directed supports and services tailored to them based on their functional needs, not a one-size-fits-all solution.
Autistic people deserve respect and support. There are many policy and program changes HHS could pursue that would materially improve the lives of autistic people and our families. Avenues to provide suggestions have been limited. The only federal body specifically designed to include engagement from the autism community, the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), has not convened since the start of the Trump administration. The IACC is required to meet by the Autism CARES Act, which was reauthorized last year.*
This press conference and the administration’s actions come on the heels of Secretary Kennedy’s testimony before the Senate Finance Committee, during which he made more false claims about vaccines. The targeting of autism is part of a broader initiative led by Secretary Kennedy to undermine public health and well-being, undermine trust in science, and to advance harmful, ableist beliefs that make all of us less safe.
We call on policymakers to collaborate with autistic individuals, families, researchers, clinicians, and disability organizations to ensure that policy is grounded in science and responsive to community needs.
We urge public leaders, institutions, and media to uphold scientific integrity, disseminate accurate public health information, and work together to strengthen—not weaken—the infrastructure of support for the entire autism community. It is what autistic people and their families deserve.
*On the day of publication of this statement, the Federal Register posted a notice for IACC nominations. This does not change that the Committee has not convened.
Signed By:
Association of University Centers on Disabilities
Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network
National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities
The Arc of the United States
The American Association of People with Disabilities
The Autistic People of Color Fund
The Autism Society
Full list of endorsing organizations (rolling sign-on):
Access Ready Inc.
Allies for Independence
American Association on Health & Disability
American Families for Vaccines
Association for Autism and Neurodiversity (AANE)
Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL)
Autism Kids
Autistic Doctors International
Autistic Women’s Alliance
Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
Center for Public Representation
Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF)
Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children
Felicity House
International Coalition Against Restraint and Seclusion (ICARS)
International Council on Development and Learning (ICDL)
Lakeshore Foundation
Milestone Autism Resources
National Health Law Program (NHeLP)
NeuroClastic
Organization for Autism Research
Pivot Neurodiversity
TASH
The National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health
The Sibling Leadership Network
U.S. Gender and Disability Justice Alliance
Plain Language Explainer
Words to Know
Acetaminophen – a medicine that helps get rid of fevers and pain. Acetaminophen is also called Tylenol.
Autism community – autistic people and the people who support them. The autism community includes:
- Autistic people
- Family members of autistic people
- People who do research about autism
- Medical professionals; and
- Groups that work with autistic people.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) – a part of the United States government that works on health care. The Department of Health and Human services gets called HHS for short.
Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) – a group of people in the autism community that works with the government. IACC has meetings about problems that affect autistic people.
Leucovorin – a kind of medicine. Doctors usually give leucovorin to people who have cancer.
Press conference – an event where someone shares important news with a lot of news reporters. News reporters ask questions about the news at the press conference.
RFK – a short name for Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. RFK is in charge of the Department of Health and Human Services.
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On September 22nd, government leaders said dangerous things about autism that are not based on facts. They said these dangerous things at a press conference. A press conference is when the government shares important news. News reporters ask questions about the news at the press conference.
These are some of the dangerous things government leaders said at the press conference:
- They said that pregnant people should not take acetaminophen. Acetaminophen is a medicine that helps get rid of fevers and pain. Acetaminophen is also called Tylenol. RFK and President Trump said that acetaminophen causes autism. The best science shows that acetaminophen does not cause autism. A baby can not get autism from their parent taking acetaminophen. A baby can not get autism from taking acetaminophen. Doctors who take care of pregnant people and babies say that acetaminophen is safe.
- They said that parents should give their autistic children leucovorin. Leucovorin is a kind of medicine. Doctors usually give leucovorin to people who have cancer. Doctors also give leucovorin to people who are missing a certain kind of vitamin in their body. Scientists have not done enough research about how leucovorin affects autistic kids. Also, every autistic person is different. What helps one autistic person might not help another autistic person.
- They said that vaccines cause autism. RFK has been saying that vaccines cause autism for a long time. But vaccines do not cause autism. Vaccines are safe. Vaccines help stop people from getting really sick. You can read a plain language resource about vaccines and autism here.
RFK and other government leaders should listen to autistic people about what we need. RFK and other government leaders should work together with the autism community. The autism community means:
- Autistic people
- Family members of autistic people
- People who do research about autism
- Medical professionals; and
- Groups that work with autistic people.
HHS could do a lot of things to make autistic people’s lives better. HHS has not made a lot of chances for the autism community to share thoughts about HHS choices. There is one group that was made for the autism community to talk about policy choices with government leaders. The group is called the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee. The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee is called IACC for short. IACC has not had a meeting in many months. There is a law that says IACC has to have meetings. The law is called the Autism CARES Act. Government leaders should make an IACC meeting happen soon to listen to the autism community.
Autistic people need supports that help us succeed. We need to be able to choose the services we get. We need resources that help us. We need resources and policies that help the people who support us, like our families. Autistic people and their families deserve respectful support.