The National Autistic Society has condemned Robert F Kennedy Jr’s claims that circumcision can cause autism.

The US health secretary shared the misinformation during a government cabinet meeting, spuriously arguing that circumcised people have “double the rate of autism,” which is not proven. There is one (2015) Danish cohort study that found an association, but that study did not prove causation.

It comes after the notoriously conspiratorial Trump ally claimed that painkillers such as Tylenol can cause autism if given to young children, which is also not supported by the current scientific consensus.

The National Autistic Society, a UK-based non-profit, condemned RFK Jr’s “dangerous” claims, which they said was not based on “any form of rigorous, robust research.”

Mel Merritt, head of Policy and campaigns at NAS, said the continuously false claims that RFK Jr and the Trump administration have pushed on autism could “put lives at risk.”

“This incessant focus on pseudo-scientific causes of autism means autistic people are forced to listen to the suggestion that they need to be cured, as though it’s not okay to be autistic and someone should be ‘blamed’,” Merritt continued. “This is wrong and dangerous.

The charity said it had recently heard from individuals saying the misinformation spread by RFK Jr has “scared” them into thinking they should be in hiding. The parents of autistic children, meanwhile, felt that “people were judging them.”

“These myths are a distraction from the real, urgent issues autistic people face,” Merritt continued. “In England, waiting lists for autism diagnosis are growing, with average waits of over 17 months.

“The special educational needs system in schools is crumbling because of insufficient funding and only three in 10 autistic people are in work, one of the lowest of any disability.”

Earlier this year, over 27,000 people joined the National Autistic Society in calling for an end to misinformation around neurodivergence.

In an open petition, the non-profit highlighted worrying statistics that nine in ten autistic people have experienced poor mental health over stigmatisation, while 55 per cent say they avoid going out over fears of discrimination.

“These baseless conversations about autism are exhausting, harmful, and a distraction from what we really need to talk about – how to create a society that works for autistic people,” the letter reads.

“Baseless and offensive claims lead to judgment and harm towards autistic people and their families who are just trying to live their lives.”

The post National Autistic Society slams RFK Jr’s ‘pseudo-scientific’ claims linking autism to circumcision appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.