Yes, RFK Jr. Appointed a Stem Cell Treatment Advocate to the Federal Autism Committee — Here's What That Means

The claim is true. RFK Jr., in his role as HHS Secretary, appointed Teri Arranga — a well-known advocate of stem cell treatments for autism — to the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, the federal body that shapes autism research priorities and policy. The Washington Post and Reuters both confirmed the appointment in April 2025.

The IACC is not a fringe panel. It is a congressionally mandated committee that coordinates autism research across federal agencies and directly influences how hundreds of millions of dollars are spent. Who sits on it matters enormously.

The problem is that stem cell therapy for autism is not supported by mainstream medical science. It is not FDA-approved for autism, and there is no robust clinical trial evidence showing it works. Science-Based Medicine reviewed the full slate of RFK Jr.'s IACC appointments and found that multiple new members have promoted unproven or alternative treatments, a pattern that alarmed autism researchers and established advocacy organizations.

To be fair to the strongest version of this claim: some supporters argue that the committee had become too narrow and that fresh perspectives are valuable. That is a reasonable principle. But there is a meaningful difference between bringing in outside thinkers and appointing advocates of treatments that the medical community considers unsupported and potentially harmful to a vulnerable population.

This story spread quickly because it fits a documented pattern. Since taking over HHS, RFK Jr. has repeatedly placed alternative medicine advocates in federal health advisory roles. Readers should watch for this specific tactic — using legitimate-sounding committee appointments to quietly shift the scientific direction of federal agencies away from evidence-based medicine.