The US Department of Health and Human Services launched a pilot program using Medicare and Medicaid data to research autism causes. This initiative, spearheaded by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., aims to identify causes by September. However, the program has faced criticism from autism advocacy groups and scientists concerned about data privacy and the lack of community involvement. While HHS assures compliance with privacy laws, concerns persist regarding data access, usage, and the potential chilling effect on medical care for autistic individuals. The timeline for discovering the root causes has also been questioned.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.