Robert F. Kennedy contradicted both developing and established science on autism in his first press conference since becoming Secretary of Health and Human Services. He claimed that environmental factors are behind the rising prevalence of autism, without providing scientific evidence. Kennedy also referred to a debunked link between vaccines and autism, although he did not explicitly mention vaccines in his press conference. The causes of autism are still unclear, but experts believe it is likely a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Kennedy plans to commission a series of studies to investigate various environmental factors that may contribute to autism.