Researchers and advocates in the autism community fear that an influential federal panel advising the Department of Health on autism is being changed to support Robert F. Kennedy's vaccine agenda.[1] The committee was on hiatus in 2025, as it had been in previous years, but this time it drew attention because of Kennedy's rhetoric about an "epidemic" increase in autism and the promise of a $50 million research initiative to find the causes.[1] The committee's charter requires at least three members with a diagnosis of autism, three parents or legal guardians, and at least three representatives of autism research, advocacy, or service organizations.[1] It is unclear whether the new composition of the committee meets these requirements, as many organizations have not commented and community members have not heard about their applications.[1] Helen Tager-Flusberg, a former member of the committee, called the process "outrageous" and said it would not represent the wider autistic community.[1] The Autism Society of America has expressed concern about the lack of transparency in research into the causes of autism and the risk of supporting disproven theories such as linking vaccines to autism.[2] HHS announced research linking vaccines to autism through the Polyic Institute, and the CDC changed its website to reflect possible causes including vaccines.[4] Kennedy promised "radical transparency", but the selection of committee members lacks clarity.[1]