Fact check: RFK autism registry

1. Summary of the results

The claim about an "RFK autism registry" appears to be largely unsubstantiated. While there is a partnership between NIH and CMS to collect de-identified data on Medicare and Medicaid enrollees with autism for research purposes, there is no evidence of a comprehensive registry tracking all Americans with autism ^[1].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several crucial pieces of context are missing from the original query:

• Autism Statistics: A 2023 federal report showed that only 26.7% of 8-year-olds with autism had "profound" autism, significantly contradicting Kennedy's more severe characterizations ^[2].
• Diagnostic Evolution: The increase in autism diagnoses is primarily attributed to:
• Broader diagnostic criteria
• Increased awareness
• Improved screening methods
• Better recognition

Rather than an "epidemic" as sometimes claimed ^{[3] [4]}

• Scientific Consensus: Multiple rigorous studies have found no connection between vaccines and autism, despite Kennedy's reluctance to acknowledge this during his HHS confirmation hearings ^{[5] [4]}.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

Several potential sources of bias and misinformation exist:

• Misrepresentation of Autism Spectrum: Kennedy's characterization of autism has been criticized for:
• Being significantly distorted
• Focusing disproportionately on severe cases
• Not representing the full spectrum of autism experiences ^[2]
• Stakeholder Interests:
• Anti-vaccine advocates benefit from promoting fear about autism registries and surveillance
• Medical researchers and healthcare providers benefit from having access to de-identified data for research purposes
• Autism advocacy groups have expressed concern that Kennedy's statements are potentially harmful to the autism community ^[4]
• Data Interpretation: Kennedy has been criticized for:
• Selectively interpreting data
• Misrepresenting scientific research
• Making claims not supported by scientific evidence ^{[3] [5]}