Health Department Cancels Meeting of Revamped Autism Committee

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced the cancellation of a scheduled meeting for the newly formed Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC). Originally set for March 19, 2024, in Bethesda, Maryland, the meeting will not proceed as planned, according to a department spokesperson who issued a statement on Saturday.

The IACC plays a significant role in advising federal officials on autism-related issues, including research and policy recommendations. The spokesperson indicated that “further information will be shared as available.” Despite this, the meeting is still listed on the IACC’s official website.

Dr. Sylvia Fogel, a psychiatry instructor at Harvard Medical School and the chair of the revamped panel, confirmed the postponement in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. She expressed her commitment to rescheduling the meeting, stating, “Please know that we are actively working to reschedule the meeting and will share the new date as soon as possible. I recognize the urgency of the issues facing the autism community, and I understand this delay may feel discouraging.”

The meeting was to take place at the National Institutes of Health, but the government has not yet released an agenda for the gathering.

In January, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. restructured the panel, appointing new members he believes will enhance the government’s approach to autism research as directed by President Donald Trump. Kennedy stated, “We are doing that by appointing the most qualified experts — leaders with decades of experience studying, researching, and treating autism. These public servants will pursue rigorous science and deliver the answers Americans deserve.”

Criticism has arisen regarding the qualifications of some new members, particularly their claims linking vaccines to autism. This controversy has prompted responses from outside experts, including former IACC members. On March 3, 2024, Dr. Joshua Gordon and other critics announced a competing panel called the I-ACC. This new group is set to meet on the same day as the original IACC meeting, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The I-ACC aims to provide independent advice on autism research and will discuss the implementation of a federal law that funds autism research, strategies for coordinating research, and future research priorities.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which operates under Kennedy’s department, stated in 2025 that it was rescinding its previous assertion that vaccines do not cause autism. The CDC noted that studies have not conclusively ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines may be linked to autism. Kennedy has voiced concerns that researchers have not adequately explored the potential connection between vaccines and autism, asserting that the government is now funding more appropriate research into the topic.

As the autism community awaits further updates, the cancellation of the meeting adds to the ongoing discourse surrounding the direction of autism research and policy in the United States.