TL/DR –
The U.S. autism advisory board has cancelled its scheduled meeting for March, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. The board, which was recently restructured by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has a third of its new members promoting the discredited link between autism and vaccines. In response, a group of autism advocates, researchers and former committee members have formed the Independent Autism Coordination Committee to create their own strategic plan for autism research.
US Autism Advisory Board Cancels March Meeting
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on March 7 that the scheduled meeting for the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) will not take place this month. The IACC, a federal autism research and coordination body, was due to meet on March 19.
Lack of Details on Cancellation
Andrew Nixon, spokesperson for HHS, confirmed the cancellation but did not provide further information or a new meeting date, stating, “Further information will be shared as available.”
Newly Formed Committee Under Scrutiny
The IACC underwent a significant restructure in January under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known anti-vaccine activist who suggests vaccines contribute to autism. Over a third of the new committee members are advocates of the discredited vaccines-autism link. Several have expressed intentions to direct federal funding towards investigating autism causes and co-occurring medical disorders.
Opposition to IACC Developments
In response to the IACC’s direction, a group of autism advocates, researchers, and former committee members formed the Independent Autism Coordination Committee last week. This independent group aims to create a strategic plan for autism research in opposition to the Kennedy-led IACC.
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