Policy & Research · Texas behavioral health news
RFK Jr. Seeks To Peek at Americans’ Medical Records for Clues on Autism and Vaccines
KFF Health News – Mental Health · By Amanda Seitz · June 4, 2026
In plain language
Federal health officials are working to access the private medical records of millions of Americans to investigate links between vaccines and autism. While mainstream medical experts say this connection does not exist, the Department of Health and Human Services is seeking data from state systems that track doctor visits and prescriptions. Some health leaders are concerned about patient privacy and whether the federal government has the legal right to view such personal details. The project involves analyzing records from clinics and hospitals to monitor chronic diseases and vaccine safety.
AI-generated summary of the source article. Not medical advice.
Key takeaways
- Federal health officials are seeking access to identifiable medical records from state-run health information exchanges.
- The initiative aims to study potential links between vaccines and autism, despite decades of research disproving such a connection.
- Public health leaders have raised concerns about patient privacy and the legal authority of the government to access these records.
- Nebraska has already received millions in federal funds to help facilitate the sharing of medical data for this project.
- The proposed system could eventually provide the federal government with data from 90% of the U.S. population by 2028.
- Medical experts note that electronic health records may not contain the specific information needed to answer the government's questions.
To collect and scrutinize millions of Americans’ health data, U.S. health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. aims to work with state organizations that help health systems share medical records. In Nebraska, millions in federal dollars has flowed into one nonprofit cooperating with Kennedy’s project.
Need to talk to someone in Texas? Browse Texas-licensed telehealth therapists. In crisis, call or text 988.