The Trump administration has announced new initiatives aimed at addressing the increasing prevalence of autism in the United States. In an op-ed, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, Director of the National Institutes of Health; Dr. Marty Makary, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration; and Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, described coordinated efforts among their agencies to respond to what they called an "autism epidemic."
“President Donald Trump and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. challenged us to break down the walls between our agencies so we can rapidly address the health crises facing the American people. Today, we announce an approach to provide relief for children on the autism spectrum.
This administration’s bold action — opening the door to the first FDA-recognized treatment for autism, confronting environmental and medical risk factors, and investing in groundbreaking research — follows the science, restores trust and will deliver hope to millions of families. The nearly five-fold increased prevalence of autism in recent decades demands a rapid response — with prompt research and by acting on information as it becomes available.
Despite the sharp rise in autism prevalence, there is no scientific consensus on what is causing rates to grow, and families have few effective tools to prevent or treat it. Today, the Trump administration launched a trio of initiatives representing unprecedented cooperation across the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), and the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the three agencies we lead, to provide help for families.”
The officials stated that these measures include supporting new treatments recognized by federal authorities, addressing possible environmental or medical contributors to autism rates, and investing in further research into causes and interventions.
The announcement comes amid concerns about a significant increase in reported cases of autism over recent decades. The collaboration between NIH, FDA, and CMS marks a shift toward interagency cooperation intended to accelerate progress on prevention strategies and support services for affected families.
