Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said during a Cabinet meeting with Trump that he is undertaking a “massive testing and research effort” to determine the cause of autism.
Autism is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain that presents with a wide range of symptoms that may include delays in language, learning, social and emotional skills.
WATCH: Why more children are being diagnosed with autism and what it means for their families
Kennedy said on Thursday that by September, “we will know” the cause of the developmental disability.
Scientists believe genetics and environmental factors can play a role, but the exact cause is unknown.
Anti-vaccine advocates, including Kennedy, have for years inaccurately claimed that routine childhood shots may cause autism.
The belief first gained traction decades ago after the publication of flawed studies that have since been retracted. Decades’ worth of subsequent studies have found no connection between vaccines and autism.
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