Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has adjusted his timeline for identifying the root cause of autism spectrum disorder.
In a Thursday evening appearance on CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins, Kennedy acknowledged that results from his agency’s efforts may not surface until March of next year, extending beyond the September deadline he had previously pledged.
Kennedy was asked to clarify comments he made earlier this month during a House Appropriations Committee hearing, where he reaffirmed his determination to pinpoint what’s fueling the autism surge.
“We will have some studies completed by September, and those studies will mainly be replication studies of studies that have already been done. We’re also deploying new teams of scientists, 15 groups of scientists. We’re going to send those grants out to bid within three weeks,” Kennedy told Collins.
He also estimated that the replication studies would likely begin yielding finalized results around six months following the initial September milestone.
“As I said, we’re going to begin to have a lot of information by September,” he remarked.
“We’re not going to stop the studies in September. We’re going to be definitive. And the more definitive you are, the more it drives public policy.”
Back in April, Kennedy publicly announced his goal to determine the cause behind increasing autism diagnoses, vowing to lead a wide-ranging scientific initiative through HHS to tackle the issue.
Days later, he returned to the topic during a press briefing where he linked the rising autism rates to “environmental toxins” potentially present in the nation’s food supply and pharmaceutical products.
When asked during that press conference to give a timeline for the effort, Kennedy initially pointed to September as a deadline by which “some answers” would be available.
While the timeline for autism research has shifted, Kennedy just released the first major document from the MAHA Commission.
The 68-page report paints a grim picture of America’s public health and lays out a roadmap to reverse decades of declining outcomes, particularly in children.
The report, which was produced by a commission created through an executive order by President Donald Trump, highlights the widespread presence of chronic illness among American youth and blames a combination of poor dietary habits, chemical exposure, sedentary lifestyles, and what it terms “overmedicalization.”
It also takes aim at corporate actors in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and media, accusing them of driving public health policy and scientific research for profit rather than patient well-being.
“To turn the tide and better protect our children, the United States must act decisively,” the report reads. “During this administration, we will begin reversing the childhood chronic disease crisis by confronting its root causes — not just its symptoms.”
“This means pursuing truth, embracing science, and enacting pro-growth policies and innovations to restore children’s health,” it continues. “Today’s children are tomorrow’s workforce, caregivers, and leaders — we can no longer afford to ignore this crisis.”
The MAHA report also calls for a sweeping transformation of federal food and healthcare systems, criticizing the cost and inefficiency of current models.
“After a century of costly and ineffective approaches, the federal government will lead a coordinated transformation of our food, health, and scientific systems,” the report reads.
“This strategic realignment will ensure that all Americans — today and in the future — live longer, healthier lives, supported by systems that prioritize prevention, well-being, and resilience.”
Among the more alarming findings presented by the commission is that roughly 70% of food consumed by children contains ultra-processed ingredients.
The report also links growing chronic disease rates to research funding influenced by pharmaceutical and agricultural giants.
The report notes a dramatic rise in prescription drug use among children over recent decades, particularly for antidepressants. It cites a 1,400% increase in such prescriptions from 1987 to 2014.
The commission also attributes deteriorating mental and physical health to drastic lifestyle changes that have unfolded since the 1980s, especially among children.
According to the report, younger generations are now facing a combination of factors, from reduced physical activity to constant technology engagement, that previous generations were largely spared.
“Parallel to the decline in physical activity, American youth face a deepening psychosocial crisis. This is marked by rising mental health disorders, significant sleep deficits, chronic stress, and pervasive loneliness, all exacerbated by the widespread influence of technology,” the report stated.
“The crisis persists despite rising therapy rates, with some suggesting it may exacerbate the issue.”
It also accuses major tech companies of playing an outsized role in shaping medical narratives and even public health rules.
“Technology corporations suggest a reach over childhood health that stretches well beyond the direct harms of screen exposure, actively shaping the contours of scientific discourse and the public-health policies that follow,” it stated, citing coordination between federal agencies and social media firms during the pandemic.
“These informal, largely invisible coordination between agencies and platforms — coupled with undisclosed ranking algorithms — compresses the range of permissible debate on childhood-health questions and can bury legitimate scientific concerns while impacting parental supervision.”
To counter these health challenges, the MAHA Commission proposes a robust research effort that includes testing nutritional plans, evaluating pharmaceutical safety, and initiating broad lifestyle-focused interventions.
“Some of the steps to implement these research initiatives are already underway and others will begin this in the near future,” the report reads.
“In parallel, the MAHA Commission will immediately begin working on developing the strategy to make our children healthy again — due in August 2025. We invite all of America, especially the private sector and academia, to be part of the solution.”
I am wondering why all injections are not banned for new babies and young children, then see the results vs. “looking at” non-sense.. There’s already been countries that have banned big pharma poisons with their children and autism stopped for the most part.