Society
The US government’s proposal for a vast health database to study autism could improve our understanding of the condition – but there is a risk it could do more harm than good
By Grace Wade
US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy, Jr
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
When Robert F Kennedy Jr took over as head of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) earlier this year, it was clear that identifying causes of autism would be one of his top priorities. Before becoming the country’s highest-ranking public health official, Kennedy spent much of his career peddling debunked claims that vaccines were behind rising autism rates. Now, he has declared autism an epidemic – and is launching a $50 million initiative to address it.
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