1. United States
2. Tenn.
3. Letter

The National Institutes of Health's plan to amass comprehensive private medical data from various federal and commercial sources for Secretary Kennedy's autism study raises significant privacy concerns. Gathering sensitive health information on a vast scale without explicit consent from individuals is an overreach that threatens patient confidentiality. Moreover, describing autism as a "preventable disease" promotes harmful stigma and misinformation. Autism is a neurological condition, not an illness to be cured or prevented. This framing is not only inaccurate but also deeply offensive to the autism community. Instead of this invasive data collection effort, I urge you to reconsider this approach. Respect privacy rights and work alongside autism advocates to develop an ethical, evidence-based study that avoids discrimination and treats autistic individuals with dignity. Promoting greater acceptance and support for neurodiversity should be the priority, not pursuing unsubstantiated theories about prevention or causes. Redirect resources towards improving services, accommodations, and public understanding of the autism spectrum. An approach rooted in facts and human rights is desperately needed.