Kennedy Picks Gaitanis to Lead Federal Autism Advisory Panel

US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has appointed Dr. John Gaitanis, a pediatric neurologist, to chair the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), the federal advisory body on autism. The announcement was made on Friday, according to two people familiar with the decision.

Gaitanis was named last month as director of the National Institutes of Health's child health institute. He takes over the IACC chair from Dr. Sylvia Fogel, who has led the committee since January.

Fogel, an instructor at Harvard Medical School and the parent of an adult child with autism, moved quickly to propose and help adopt a broad new strategic plan centred on medical care, housing, aging and other priorities for people with autism and their families. Under her leadership, the committee recommended that the government adopt the term "profound autism" for those with high support needs.

She assumed the chair after Kennedy overhauled the advisory board, replacing all its members. Some of the new appointees have promoted a link between vaccines and autism.

During a meeting, Kennedy said Gaitanis would take over because the committee has traditionally been chaired by one of its 21 federal members. Fogel, who is one of the panel's 20 outside public members, will remain on the IACC. Kennedy praised the committee's work so far and Fogel in particular, one person said, adding that she would assist Gaitanis with the transition.

Kennedy also said the IACC had not done its job in the past and apologised to public members who may have felt frustrated by what they saw as a lack of support from federal members.

Fogel, the Department of Health and Human Services and the NIH did not immediately respond to requests for comment.