CDC Bombshell Report on Autism Epidemic

By Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH

On April 17, 2025 the CDC dropped a bomb on the world of pediatrics with a report from Shaw et al published in the MMWR with over 60 authors. Data from 16 centers show by 2022 3.2% of American children have autism using a multilayered and relatively rigorous definition. In heavily vaccinated California, the rate is 5.2% of children carry the diagnosis and two thirds of those have special learning needs. Of note, the highest prevalence was 8.0% found in little boys residing in California.

Dr. McCullough breaks down the report on the Matt Gaetz show on One America News Network. Keep in mind we expect the problem to be even worse at the present time in 2025. The case definition has not changed from the 2018 report and is rigorous:

For this report, children aged 8 years (born in 2014) or aged 4 years (born in 2018) met the surveillance ASD case definition if they lived in the surveillance area at any time in 2022 and they received 1) an ASD diagnostic statement in a comprehensive developmental evaluation, 2) autism special education eligibility, or 3) an ASD ICD-9 code in the 299 range or ICD-10 code of F84.0, F84.3, F84.5, F84.8, or F84.9. Children aged 4 years were classified as having suspected ASD if they did not meet the criteria for ASD but had an evaluator’s suspicion of ASD documented in a comprehensive developmental evaluation. Additional demographic information, comprehensive developmental evaluations, individualized education programs (IEPs), scores from intelligence quotient (IQ) assessments, and presence of ASD diagnostic tests and assessment tools (tests) were collected from records for children.

Our CDC is not raising alarms on autism. There is no urgency in their report. Here are their concluding sentences. This memorializes an astounding lack of concern by our public health agency!

Continued increases in prevalence and improvements in early identification of ASD could indicate increasing need for services. Opportunities exist to learn from successful policies, systems, and practices in different communities and implement approaches for equitable identification or service eligibility to help families or persons receive the support they need as early as possible to improve outcomes for children with ASD.

With little investment in research, the autism crisis will intensify with broad sweeping implications for society.

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Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH

President, McCullough Foundation

www.mcculloughfnd.org

Shaw KA, Williams S, Patrick ME, et al. Prevalence and Early Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 4 and 8 Years — Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 16 Sites, United States, 2022. MMWR Surveill Summ 2025;74(No. SS-2):1–22. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.ss7402a1

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