# RFK Jr. distances himself from vaccine-autism link, calls for more research 2026-08-07T17:05:36+00:00 | Health & Science | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the US secretary of health and human services, told CNN he is 'not trying to link autism to anything' and called for more research into rising autism diagnoses. The remarks mark a shift in tone from his decades of claiming vaccines or their ingredients cause autism. Kennedy previously authored a retracted 2005 article alleging thimerosal in vaccines led to neurological disorders and once described autistic people in offensive terms. Experts say no consistent link between vaccines and autism has been found, and the rise in diagnoses is largely due to better awareness and broader diagnostic criteria. ## Coverage - timesnownews.com Tags: autism, research, RFK Jr, thimerosal, US health policy, vaccines Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/rfk-jr-distances-himself-from-vaccine-autism-link-calls-for-more-research/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/rfk-jr-distances-himself-from-vaccine-autism-link-calls-for-more-research/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.