Health secretary Kennedy launches program to accelerate autism diagnosis

U.S. health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a new initiative aimed at speeding up autism assessments during a keynote at a Children’s Health Defense conference.

He said the existing diagnostic process is outdated, takes too long, and depends heavily on a limited pool of specialists, which hampers timely identification and support.

The program will invite organizations to submit tools and technologies that can both accelerate evaluations and enhance the quality of life for autistic individuals. Administration will be handled by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, though funding amounts were not disclosed.