Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to conduct a comprehensive investigation into a potential link between vaccines and autism, a move that aligns with President Trump’s broader health agenda.
The study will utilize the Vaccine Safety Datalink, a long-standing system that monitors vaccine safety and assesses possible adverse effects. Media outlets including CNN and The Washington Post have confirmed the initiative.
Trump Administration Prioritizes Autism Research
HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon emphasized that the administration is committed to uncovering the root causes of autism’s alarming rise.
“As President Trump said in his Joint Address to Congress, the rate of autism in American children has skyrocketed,” Nixon stated.
“CDC will leave no stone unturned in its mission to figure out what exactly is happening.”
During his Congressional address, Trump reiterated his commitment to RFK Jr.’s vision of “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) and highlighted the dramatic increase in autism diagnoses over recent decades.
“Not long ago, 1 in 10,000 children had autism. Now, it’s 1 in 36. There’s something wrong,” Trump said.
“So, we’re going to find out what it is, and there’s nobody better than Bobby and all of the people working with him to figure out what is going on.”
A Controversial Debate Gains Federal Attention
Kennedy has been a vocal advocate for investigating potential environmental and medical factors behind autism, though the claim of a vaccine-autism connection remains highly disputed within mainstream science. Many researchers attribute the rise in diagnoses to increased awareness and expanded diagnostic criteria, rather than a direct causal link.
Nonetheless, this new federal initiative marks a significant shift in policy, signaling that no hypothesis will be dismissed outright. With Trump’s directive and Kennedy’s leadership, the administration is taking a hard look at the factors contributing to the rise in autism rates.
As the CDC begins its review, the public can expect a renewed focus on transparency and scientific rigor, ensuring that concerns—no matter how controversial—are addressed with serious investigation.
