Exclusive-Kennedy names new chair for US autism advisory panel

Washington, September 18 - Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has appointed Dr. John Gaitanis as the new chair of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), replacing Dr. Sylvia Fogel. Gaitanis, a pediatric neurologist, joins the panel following his appointment as director of the National Institutes of Health’s child health institute last month.

Fogel, a Harvard Medical School instructor and parent to an adult child with autism, had led the committee since January, proposing a strategic plan focusing on medical care, housing, aging, and other priorities for individuals with autism and their families. The committee's recommendation to adopt the term "profound autism" for those with high support needs gained traction under her leadership.

Gaitanis, who has ties to anti-vaccine advocacy groups and vaccine injury cases, will take over as the traditional chair by federal members. While Fogel commended the committee's work and the transition process, Kennedy acknowledged the need for improvement and expressed gratitude to the public members who felt the federal members' support was lacking. The IACC provides non-binding guidance on autism-related priorities to the government.