RFK Jr sensationally reveals five ‘toxins’ in everyday goods that could be causing autism epidemic

Health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has revealed the list of ‘toxins’ he says could be driving a surge in autism across the US.

Kennedy said he would commission a series of studies into whether mold, pesticides, food chemicals or medicines are contributing to the development of the condition.

He also suggested rates starting spiking in the 1980s, when ultrasound technology became more mainsteam. 

He even suggested someone may be ‘profiting’ from the epidemic, an apparent nod to his vaccine skepticism and crusade against artificial food ingredients.

It comes after a Tuesday CDC report found the number of children with autism rose to one in 31 in 2022, up from one in 36 in 2020 and one in 44 in 2018.

By comparison, early studies from the 1960s and 70s estimated autism rates to be as low as 1 in 5,000. 

Most researchers say the trend can likely be attributed to better screening and awareness — but Kennedy said that only accounts for ’10 to 20 percent’ of cases.

‘Doctors and therapists in the past weren’t stupid. They weren’t missing all these cases,’ RFK Jr told a press conference today.

He also dismissed the idea that autism rates are being fueled by genetic factors, saying, ‘genes do not cause epidemics,’ and adding that ‘it must be triggered or caused by environmental or risk factors.’

Kennedy told reporters: ‘We need to move away from the ideology that the relentless autism prevalence increase is simply an artifact of better recognition and better diagnostic criteria.

‘The epidemic is real. Only a small percentage can be charged to better recognition or better diagnostic criteria.

‘The answer is very clear and this is catastrophic for our country.’ 

The CDC report released earlier this week looked at autism rates in 16 monitoring sites across the US to predict the overall figure for the rest of the nation.

Researchers conducted surveillance for autism among children aged four and eight years and suspected autism among children aged four years. 

Surveillance included children who lived in the area at any time during 2022. 

Children were classified as having autism using a number of measures including if they had ever received a diagnostic statement in a comprehensive developmental evaluation or had autism special education eligibility.

Children aged four years were classified as having suspected autism if they did not meet the case definition for autism but a suspicion of the developmental disorder had been documented in a comprehensive developmental evaluation. 

Along with one in 31 children in 2022 being diagnosed, boys were at an increased risk. 

Overall, one in 20 eight-year-old boys were diagnosed with autism in 2022 but in places like California it was as common as one in 13.  

RFK Jr called the risk for boys ‘extreme.’ 

Kennedy also noted about one in four children are ‘profoundly’ disabled, meaning they are nonverbal and may be completely dependent on others for basic care. 

The secretary said: ‘Autism destroys families and more importantly destroys our greatest resource which is children.’