US Health department will analyze data from autistic Medicare, Medicaid enrollees, RFK Jr. says
Share this @internewscast.com

WASHINGTON (AP) — On Wednesday, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. introduced a plan aimed at leveraging medical data from Medicaid and Medicare recipients to investigate autism, though experts caution that this may not uncover the fundamental causes of the condition.

This initiative will establish a data-sharing partnership between the National Institutes of Health, the federal health research entity, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which holds claims data for nearly 150 million individuals nationwide.

“We’re using this partnership to uncover the root causes of autism and other chronic diseases,” Kennedy said in a statement.

The arrangement will adhere to relevant privacy laws to safeguard the sensitive health information of Americans, according to a statement from the HHS. The health department has not provided further details about the program in response to additional inquiries.

Using the data, the agency said researchers will focus on autism diagnosis trends, health outcomes from medical or behavioral treatment, access to care based on demographics and geography as well the economic burden of autism on families and health care systems.

The problem is that this isn’t the kind of data needed to answer questions about autism’s causes, said Helen Tager-Flusberg, professor emerita at Boston University who leads a new Coalition of Autism Scientists pushing back on Kennedy’s characterizations of the condition.

“Enough research has been done at this point to know there is no simple magic bullet,” she said, cautioning that this type of dataset won’t help with the type of research most needed — into genetics and other prenatal, preconception and early infancy factors.

Kennedy has directed the health department to undertake a far-reaching research effort to identify the causes of autism, a complex disorder that impacts the brain. Announcing his plans last month, Kennedy said he plans to provide answers as to what causes autism by September. He has since said the department will determine at least “some” of the causes.

His research directive comes as autism rates in the U.S. are rising, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention releasing a report that an estimated 1 in 31 U.S. children have autism, a marked increase from 2020. Scientists and researchers who study autism have said that increase in diagnoses is the result of increased awareness about the disorder, especially among people who exhibit milder symptoms of autism.

Kennedy has rejected that explanation in public appearances, instead describing autism as a “preventable disease” that is caused by environmental factors.

Autism is not considered a disease but a complex brain disorder. Those who have spent decades researching autism have found no single cause, although genetic factors are associated with it. In addition to genetics, scientists have identified various possible factors, including the age of a child’s father, the mother’s weight and whether she had diabetes or was exposed to certain chemicals.

Kennedy’s comments have sparked alarm among autism researchers and advocates, who fear he will use the study to support a discredited theory that vaccines cause autism. Kennedy, a longtime vaccine critic, has pushed that theory before, although decades of research has found no link between vaccines and autism. President Donald Trump has also suggested that vaccines could be to blame for autism rates.

The new platform that HHS plans to launch around autism will be a “pilot,” that will be used to study chronic conditions and treatments, the agency said.

—-

Associated Press writer Lauran Neergaard contributed reporting.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
I’ve had so much plastic surgery I couldn’t get through passport control – I’ve lost count of the number of ops I’ve had

I’ve Had So Much Plastic Surgery I Can’t Clear Passport Control – I’ve Lost Track of All My Procedures

AN INFLUENCER says she’s had so much work done that border officials…
Trump administration's crackdown on pro-Palestinian campus activists faces federal trial

Federal Trial Challenges Trump Administration’s Measures Against Pro-Palestinian Campus Activists

BOSTON (AP) — A federal bench trial is set to commence on…
Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki volcano erupts, sending ash 11 miles high

Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki Volcano Erupts, Sending Ash 11 Miles into the Sky

Indonesia’s rumbling Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki erupted Monday, sending a column of…
Amazing Rescue of Woman in Tree, Stunning Video Shows Just How Fast TX Flood Waters Rose

Incredible Woman’s Rescue From Tree Captured on Video Highlighting Rapid Rise of Texas Floodwaters

Emergency crews continue their relentless search and rescue operations, striving to locate…
Shadowy CIA operative interacted with Lee Harvey Oswald months before JFK assassination: documents

CIA Agent Met with Lee Harvey Oswald Months Before JFK Assassination: New Documents Reveal

An enigmatic CIA operative with expertise in psychological warfare had interactions with…
Large fire following a Russian attack on Odesa.

Relentless Putin Launches Nearly 1,000 Daily Missile and Drone Strikes on Ukraine, Defying Trump

RUSSIA could soon hammer Ukraine with 1,000 drones and missiles every day…
Young Texas camp survivor describes harrowing moment she prepared for worst during deadly flood

Texas Camp Survivor Recalls Terrifying Experience During Deadly Flood

A young camper who was rescued from Camp Mystic described the harrowing…
Father outraged after discovering daughter's alleged killer should have been behind bars years ago

Father Furious to Learn Daughter’s Suspected Killer Was Supposed to Be Imprisoned Long Ago

A father, already in mourning, became more outraged after discovering that the…
Multiple Airspace Violations Over Trump's NJ Golf Course, Fighter Pilots Had to Use 'Headbutt Maneuver'

Several Airspace Breaches Occur Above Trump’s New Jersey Golf Course, Fighter Pilots Implement ‘Headbutt Maneuver’

During President Donald Trump’s July 4 weekend visit to Bedminster, New Jersey,…
Man vows to keep Texas business running despite 'worst flood' in 20 years

Texas Business Owner Determined to Keep Doors Open Amid Worst Flood in Two Decades

“Current live updates from the field indicate unconfirmed reports of more water…
Texas school gathers supplies to help flood-impacted locals after spotlight moves on

Texas School Collects Supplies to Support Flood-Affected Community After Media Spotlight Shifts

As families in the Texas Hill Country struggle with the aftermath of…
Crime scene investigators collecting evidence at a shooting scene.

Three Killed and Ten Injured in July 4th Weekend Shooting as Police Condemn ‘Reckless Individuals Firing at Homes and Cars’

THREE people are dead and ten more have been injured in a…