RFK Jr. Puts Facilitated Communication Users on the HHS Autism Panel by Stuart Vyse episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 11, 2026 · 5 MIN

RFK Jr. Puts Facilitated Communication Users on the HHS Autism Panel by Stuart Vyse

from Skeptical Inquirer Audio Edition · host Stuart Vyse

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has appointed proponents and users of Spelling to Communicate—a discredited variant of facilitated communication—to the federal government's top autism advisory panel. Stuart Vyse argues that endorsing these scientifically debunked methods promotes pseudoscience, offers false hope to families, and undermines evidence-based support for people with autism. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/rfk-jr-puts-facilitated-communication-users-on-the-hhs-autism-panel/ About the Author: Stuart Vyse is a psychologist and author of Believing in Magic: The Psychology of Superstition, which won the William James Book Award of the American Psychological Association. He is also author of Going Broke: Why Americans Can't Hold on to Their Money. As an expert on irrational behavior, he is frequently quoted in the press and has made appearances on CNN International, the PBS NewsHour, and NPR's Science Friday. He can be found on Twitter at @stuartvyse. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/

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RFK Jr. Puts Facilitated Communication Users on the HHS Autism Panel by Stuart Vyse

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