Trump Administration Shuts Out Advocates, Researchers In Probe Targeting Autism
Quote:As the Trump administration lays out ambitious plans to address autism, many longtime leaders and well-known experts in the field have been left out, stakeholders indicate.
National autism advocacy groups and top researchers tell Disability Scoop that they have not had any contact with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Meanwhile, the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee — a panel comprised of government officials and members of the autism community tasked with coordinating federal autism efforts — has not met since January.
Since 2006, the federal government has authorized more than $5 billion in research funding through what’s now known as the Autism CARES Act, according to Dr. Helen Tager-Flusberg, director of the Center for Autism Research Excellence at Boston University, who’s leading the Coalition of Autism Scientists, a newly established group of more than 150 researchers in the field.
“That none of the scientists who have received this funding has been contacted in recent weeks is alarming and does not bode well for the plans that seem to be underway,” said Tager-Flusberg who indicated that she’s heard directly and indirectly from over 400 colleagues. “In the past, research plans to rapidly expand support for autism came after extensive consultation with parent and advocacy organizations and the scientific community. No such process has been undertaken this year.”
Similarly, groups ranging from Autism Speaks to the Autistic Self Advocacy Network say that they have not heard from federal health officials.
“We have heard almost nothing from anyone at HHS since the HHS communications freeze was first implemented in January, and so far our requests for meetings and information have not been successful,” according to Zoe Gross, director of advocacy at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, who said she wasn’t aware of any other autism organization that’s had more contact with the agency. “This is very unusual — different administrations have had more or less contact with us, but to shut all of us out to this extent is unprecedented.”
![[Image: extraordinarywoo-sig.jpg]](https://i.postimg.cc/zf86M5L7/extraordinarywoo-sig.jpg)