Eric Garcia

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is very concerned about autism. He has been for a couple of decades, since he first became convinced that mercurian vaccines made children autistic, which, by the way, there is no credible evidence supporting this theory. On April 16th, now as head of Health and Human Services, RFK gave a press conference, and he described the tragedy of what he calls the autism epidemic.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is very concerned about autism. He has been for a couple of decades, since he first became convinced that mercurian vaccines made children autistic, which, by the way, there is no credible evidence supporting this theory. On April 16th, now as head of Health and Human Services, RFK gave a press conference, and he described the tragedy of what he calls the autism epidemic.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is very concerned about autism. He has been for a couple of decades, since he first became convinced that mercurian vaccines made children autistic, which, by the way, there is no credible evidence supporting this theory. On April 16th, now as head of Health and Human Services, RFK gave a press conference, and he described the tragedy of what he calls the autism epidemic.

For years, he's insisted there is an epidemic, even though there's a lot of debate among researchers about this, all of which he dismisses as, quote, epidemic denial, a term he repeated several times in that press conference.

For years, he's insisted there is an epidemic, even though there's a lot of debate among researchers about this, all of which he dismisses as, quote, epidemic denial, a term he repeated several times in that press conference.

For years, he's insisted there is an epidemic, even though there's a lot of debate among researchers about this, all of which he dismisses as, quote, epidemic denial, a term he repeated several times in that press conference.

Catastrophic, he says, because a lot of families are suffering as they watch their kids struggle in life. And it's true. A lot of families are suffering. I'm Hannah Rosen. This is Radio Atlantic. there is a lot of confusion out there about autism, why it's increasing, if it's even increasing, and what even counts as autism.

Catastrophic, he says, because a lot of families are suffering as they watch their kids struggle in life. And it's true. A lot of families are suffering. I'm Hannah Rosen. This is Radio Atlantic. there is a lot of confusion out there about autism, why it's increasing, if it's even increasing, and what even counts as autism.

Catastrophic, he says, because a lot of families are suffering as they watch their kids struggle in life. And it's true. A lot of families are suffering. I'm Hannah Rosen. This is Radio Atlantic. there is a lot of confusion out there about autism, why it's increasing, if it's even increasing, and what even counts as autism.

And I think it's fair to say that RFK's strong and public entry into this debate has not in any way helped to clear things up. So we're going to talk to someone who writes about autism, also covers politics for the UK paper The Independent, and is himself autistic. Eric Garcia, author of We're Not Broken, Changing the Autism Conversation. Eric, welcome to the show.

And I think it's fair to say that RFK's strong and public entry into this debate has not in any way helped to clear things up. So we're going to talk to someone who writes about autism, also covers politics for the UK paper The Independent, and is himself autistic. Eric Garcia, author of We're Not Broken, Changing the Autism Conversation. Eric, welcome to the show.

And I think it's fair to say that RFK's strong and public entry into this debate has not in any way helped to clear things up. So we're going to talk to someone who writes about autism, also covers politics for the UK paper The Independent, and is himself autistic. Eric Garcia, author of We're Not Broken, Changing the Autism Conversation. Eric, welcome to the show.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So Eric, you covered that April 16th press conference that RFK held about autism. Mm-hmm. Was there anything in his statement that stuck out to you?

So Eric, you covered that April 16th press conference that RFK held about autism. Mm-hmm. Was there anything in his statement that stuck out to you?

So Eric, you covered that April 16th press conference that RFK held about autism. Mm-hmm. Was there anything in his statement that stuck out to you?

Yeah. You know, there was obviously the whole thing, which is that autism destroys families.

Yeah. You know, there was obviously the whole thing, which is that autism destroys families.