A coalition of autism researchers and advocates announced Tuesday the formation of an independent advisory body aimed at countering a federal committee that includes members who believe childhood vaccines cause autism, despite scientific evidence to the contrary.

The Independent Autism Coordinating Committee (I-ACC) will hold its first meeting March 19, according to the Washington Post. The timing directly challenges the newly-reformed federal Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), which also meets that day for its first publicly-announced session.

The independent group’s formation represents a direct response to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s decision to reshape the federal body with members who align with his views on autism and vaccines, rather than established researchers and autistic self-advocates, according to the group’s leaders.

“We don’t believe that the new federal IACC is going to pursue the kinds of areas and priorities that the mainstream scientific community feels are important at this point,” said Helen Tager-Flusberg, a member of the new group and director of the Center for Autism Research Excellence at Boston University.

The independent committee includes several former federal body members, according to organizers. Joshua Gordon, former National Institute of Mental Health director, and Alison Singer, president of the Autism Science Foundation, joined the 12-member group. The independent body consists mostly of researchers, contrasting with the federal committee whose members primarily focus on advocacy.

Tager-Flusberg said the group will determine which autism research topics deserve priority attention, particularly to inform decisions by non-governmental funders. The researchers plan to meet whenever the federal body convenes, attempting to counter any misinformation that emerges from those sessions.

If the federal IACC discusses vaccines and autism, the independent researchers will host concurrent meetings to present existing evidence on the topic, according to Tager-Flusberg.

When asked about potential confusion in the autism community regarding which group to trust given their similar names and meeting dates, Tager-Flusberg responded: “Are you going to pay attention to the group that contains not a single reputable scientist, or anyone experienced with conducting research? Or are you going to look at a group of people, which includes the people who have all the credentials that you would expect from the membership of the IACC?”

The Department of Health and Human Services indicated no plans to modify the federal body’s operations in response to the independent counterpart. “The federal IACC will continue to fulfill President Trump’s directive to bring autism research to the 21st century and support breakthroughs in autism diagnosis, treatment, and prevention,” said Andrew Nixon, an HHS spokesperson.

This marks the second time researchers have formed independent advisory groups to counter federal misinformation. The Vaccine Integrity Project launched last year to assess and disseminate evidence on vaccines, according to organizers.

The development highlights growing tensions within the autism research community as federal health policy shifts under the new administration. Hawaii’s medical and research communities closely monitor these national developments, as federal funding and policy directions significantly impact local autism research initiatives and clinical practices.

The independent committee’s formation underscores concerns among mainstream researchers about maintaining scientific integrity in autism research funding and policy decisions. Local healthcare providers and families affected by autism will likely watch both committees’ proceedings as they navigate treatment options and research participation opportunities.

The competing advisory bodies represent a broader debate over autism research priorities and the role of scientific consensus in federal health policy.