Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nephew of President John F. Kennedy and son of former Attorney General Bobby Kennedy, has become a polarizing figure in the realm of autism research. Appointed by President Donald Trump, Kennedy has overseen significant changes within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), particularly regarding funding for autism research. During his tenure, there have been massive cuts to federal funding for autism research into environmental causes. This has ignited a firestorm of debate from within the scientific community and from autism advocates.
Korengold Kennedy has spent decades in public service as an attorney fighting against corporate pollution. Now, he’s casting an equally contrarian eye toward mainstream scientific approaches to autism of all stripes. In his short tenure, HHS has already clamped down on research funding by tens of millions of dollars. This has meant closing an important lab and withdrawing funding from over 50 autism-related research projects. Critics point out that these efforts destroy years of detailed research. They further argue that it endangers public health efforts aimed at unraveling the causes and complexities of autism.
As he pushes forward with his new initiatives, including a $50 million autism research program, Kennedy expresses skepticism about the role of established experts in the field. Unsurprisingly, this has led to deep skepticism over his motives and what this means in the long-term for autism research.
Cuts to Research Funding
In recent months, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has greatly expanded these dramatic cuts to federal funding. This funding was supposed to go to research the environmental causes of autism. The ruling subsequently forced the closing of a prominent lab researching autism. It eliminated funding for over 50 studies investigating the various facets of the disorder.
Kennedy’s approach has faced blistering condemnation from scientists who say that it is opaque to the public and dismissive of a large body of existing science. They warn that these cuts can cause damaging setbacks in learning about autism’s causes and better interventions.
“We’re talking about probably decades of delays and setbacks,” – Alycia Halladay
The ramifications of these cuts certainly haven’t been lost on us. Autism advocates and researchers have raised a rising chorus of alarm that Kennedy’s actions are going to cripple important progress in a field that is already severely underfunded. Halladay contends that moving money away from core functions is a dangerous proposition. With this move, they undermine the scientific justification supposed to be guiding such decisions.
“To take money away from all these areas of need to focus on a question that the HHS director considers high priority seems not scientific and not the way that science is done,” – Alycia Halladay
New Initiatives Amid Controversy
Further, despite these severe cuts, Kennedy has rolled out a new marquee initiative. He would like to do for the first time what he terms “real studies,” scientific ones, on autism. This new initiative has an associated cost of $50 million. Under his leadership, it should serve as a model for how to change the conversation on autism research. Skeptics are rightly judging the potential impact of this new course. They question whether his plan will really improve public understanding or simply provide cover for his damaging policies.
Kennedy is passionate about changing both the environment and the future of autism research. At the same time, he wants to cut HHS’ personnel by 20,000 workers, roughly a quarter of its workforce. Those cuts, critics say, would only undercut an already depleted department’s ability to respond to threats and protect the public’s health.
“Under the leadership of Secretary Kennedy, HHS is taking action on autism as the public health emergency it is,” – HHS spokesperson
Kennedy advocates his measures as immediate answers to an escalating emergency. In the meantime, activists and researchers such as Erin McCanlies express concern over his disregard towards the current body of research on autism. She adds that his fundamental skepticism of experts will get in the way of making much-needed strides to address the disorder’s complex issues.
“I don’t think he’s aware of my work,” – Erin McCanlies
“or most of the literature that’s been published on what the causes of autism are.” – Erin McCanlies
Backlash from the Scientific Community
Not surprisingly, Kennedy has earned himself a firestorm of criticism from the scientific community on both his priorities and methods. As you can imagine, many researchers care deeply about this issue. They argue that his concurrent moves to roll back environmental pollution and chemical regulations, possibly tied to autism, obstruct real research into the disorder’s causes.
Irva Hertz-Picciotto, a leading researcher in the field, called some of Kennedy’s agenda “ridiculous and very counterproductive.” Her remarks punctuate a growing frustration felt within the scientific community. They are concerned that Kennedy’s policies would put at risk decades of progress in autism research.
“Some of his agenda is really ridiculous and very counterproductive,” – Irva Hertz-Picciotto
“But if something good can be done with this money, I’d like to be part of that.” – Irva Hertz-Picciotto
Kennedy argues that it’s important to pursue different research paths. This all-or-nothing approach has fostered a profoundly divisive environment, alienating valuable collaborators from the old guard and leaving innovators that align with his purpose to shade.
