1. United States
2. N.M.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge your immediate action to protect the privacy of Americans’ medical records and to oppose any proposal to create a registry or database of autistic individuals. Federal law—including the HIPAA Privacy Rule—establishes strict standards to safeguard personal health information from unauthorized use or disclosure. These laws were designed to ensure that every American has the right to control their own medical data, to trust their healthcare providers, and to be protected from discrimination and harm. Any attempt to collect, register, or disclose the identities of autistic people without their informed consent would not only violate these laws, but also undermine the fundamental trust at the heart of the doctor-patient relationship. History warns us that targeting vulnerable groups through government registries has led to grave abuses in the past. We must not repeat these mistakes. Protecting the confidentiality and dignity of all Americans—especially those with disabilities—is not only a legal obligation, but a moral one. I urge you to: Publicly oppose any autism registration or database, Defend the privacy rights guaranteed by HIPAA and other laws, Ensure no administration is permitted to weaponize medical data against individuals or communities. Please act now to safeguard our rights and prevent dangerous precedents.