An independent autism coordinating committee will bring together nongovernmental autism researchers and advocates to develop a scientific agenda for the autism community amid concerns about the federal government’s newly appointed members to a key advisory panel.
Congress created the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee in 2006 through the Combating Autism Act, according to the council’s website. The panel is required to develop an annual strategic plan for autism research and submit a yearly summary of scientific advances to Congress. The committee has served in that role for 20 years.
Earlier this year, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. named 21 members to the federal committee. According to the independent committee, many of those members “propound the false narrative that childhood vaccines cause autism.”
The independent group said its agenda will follow the federal committee’s meeting schedule so it can respond quickly to any recommendations.
It plans to convene scientific experts and stakeholders to develop a research agenda and publish annual reports on advances across the autism research spectrum, including work on genes and cells, environmental causes, early detection, therapeutics and services.
The committee is still being formed.
A list of committee members is available here.
