RFK Says ‘We Know’ Environmental Toxins Are Causing Autism Epidemic

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said during a press conference on Wednesday that the autism epidemic is caused by environmental toxins, and is commissioning a series of studies on numerous toxins.

Kennedy specifically cited mold, pesticides, other food chemicals, and medicines as potential toxins contributing to the epidemic. He also suggested ultrasound scans could be a factor, given the timing of such technological advances.

“This is a preventable disease,” the secretary said. “We know it’s environmental exposure. It has to be. Genes do not cause epidemics. It can provide a vulnerability, but you need an environmental toxin.”

“We’re going to announce a series of new studies to identify precisely what the environmental toxins are that are causing it,” Kennedy added. “This has not been done before. And we’re going to do it in a thorough and comprehensive way, and we’re gonna get back with an answer to the American people very, very quickly.”

RFK JR: “We’re going to announce a series of new studies to identify precisely what the environment toxins are that are causing [autism]. This has not been done before…”pic.twitter.com/rOzWHkd5KU

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) April 16, 2025

Dr. Walter Zahorodny, an associate professor at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, joined RFK at the presser and emphasized that the rise in autism cases cannot be attributed to better diagnosis alone.

“I would urge everyone to consider the likelihood that autism – whether we call it an epidemic, a tsunami or a surge of autism – is a real thing that we don’t understand, and it must be triggered or caused by environmental or risk factors,” Zahorodny said. “We need to address this question seriously because, in my opinion, for the last 20 years, we’ve collected data but not made real progress in understanding what causes autism or how to effectively prevent it or treat it effectively.”

Last week, Kennedy promised to announce the specific causes of the epidemic by September.

“The autism rates have gone from 1 in 31 from 1 in 10,000 when I was a kid,” RFK said to President Donald Trump. “At your direction, we’ve launched a massive testing and research effort that’s going to involve hundreds of scientists from around the world.”

“By September, we will know what has caused the autism epidemic and we will be able to eliminate those exposures,” he added.

The Autism Society of America criticized Kennedy over the announcement, calling it “harmful, misleading, and unrealistic.”

“Autism is a complex developmental disability shaped by genetic, biological, and environmental factors,” the organization said. “It is neither a chronic illness nor a contagion, that qualifies harmful language like ‘epidemic,’ and to do so is both inaccurate and stigmatizing.”

Related: RFK Jr. Sets Tight Deadline To Announce Cause Of Autism Epidemic