A recently released report has accused top health officials in the Trump administration of spreading misinformation about vaccines and autism, creating what advocates describe as a "crisis of public trust" in public health institutions.

The report specifically targets Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who serves as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). According to the document, Kennedy began his tenure in February 2025 with messaging that framed America's health challenges not only in terms of chronic disease but also as a "spiritual malaise" stemming from moral decline.

Autism advocates cited in the report express particular concern about administration efforts to connect autism to acetaminophen use during pregnancy, despite what they characterize as growing evidence showing no such link. The report also alleges that officials have maintained an intense focus on both vaccines and autism as policy priorities.

According to the report, the administration has replaced all members of the federal autism committee with advisers who have anti-vaccine backgrounds and histories of promoting what critics call pseudoscientific theories. This personnel change has drawn criticism from autism advocacy groups and public health experts.

The report recommends that Congress conduct oversight hearings to examine these officials' statements and actions. It goes further to suggest that impeachment proceedings could be warranted for officials such as Kennedy, though it does not specify the grounds for such action.

The allegations come amid broader debates about vaccine policy and public health messaging in the current administration. Health officials have not yet responded to the specific claims made in the report.