Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is making research into autism one of his major initiatives. NBC’s Brandy Zadrozny explains how he’s reinvigorated the anti-vaccine movement in the process. The Los Angeles Times looks at how several Democratic governors, including California’s Gavin Newsom, are responding to and contending with the Trump administration. NPR explains how government bureaucracy has disrupted the reintegration of former Marine Paul Whelan, who was released from Russia last year in a prisoner swap coordinated by the Biden administration. Plus, a judge says there is probable cause to hold Trump administration officials in criminal contempt, the Federal Reserve chief addresses tariffs, and how Paris dramatically improved its air quality. Today’s episode was hosted by Gideon Resnick.
Full Episode
Good morning. It's Thursday, April 17th. I'm Gideon Resnick in for Shamit Tabassu. This is Apple News Today. On today's show, how a group of Democratic governors are navigating Trump's second term, the legal hurdles facing a U.S. hostage freed from Russia, and why Paris is breathing easier these days. But first, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
is making research into autism one of his major initiatives. But he's also making proclamations about the disorder that scientists who study autism say is in direct contradiction to the research.
We know it's an environmental exposure. It has to be. Genes do not cause epidemics. They can provide a vulnerability. You need an environmental toxin.
Scientists say genetic factors play a critical role in whether a child will develop autism, though they acknowledge that not every case can be explained by genetics alone. Kennedy says that the HHS will launch a new series of studies to look at whether autism can possibly be connected to things like mold, pesticides, as well as certain medications and even food. And he's promised to move quickly.
We're going to follow this science no matter what it says, and we will have some of the answers by September.
Kennedy made those comments at a press conference yesterday. That followed a new study released this week from the CDC, an agency that falls under HHS, that concluded that among 8-year-olds, 1 in 31 were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in 2022. In 2020, that figure was 1 in 36.
While scientists have not ruled out the notion that both genes and environmental factors can contribute to the development of autism, there is still no evidence it can be prevented. One longtime autism researcher told the New York Times, quote, autism is not an infectious disease, so there aren't preventive measures that we can take.
It's also important to recognize that more people are aware of autism symptoms today than before, and our screening systems have vastly improved. Meaning more people may be seeking diagnoses than before, and we're better positioned to make diagnoses. In other words, the CDC says its findings don't necessarily mean that more people are autistic than before.
Researchers also say that Kennedy declaring we'll have answers by September or any arbitrary date runs counter to how science works. Recently, many people who are skeptical of what mainstream scientists have to say about autism attended what's known as the Annual Autism Health Summit. The summit promotes treatments that are not proven to work, like water filters or fecal transplants.
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