By Ahmed Aboulenein
WASHINGTON, Sept 18 (Reuters) - US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. named an ally, Dr. John Gaitanis, to lead a key federal advisory panel on autism on Friday, a Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson told Reuters.
Gaitanis, a pediatric neurologist who was appointed last month as director of the National Institutes of Health's child health institute, will take over from Dr. Sylvia Fogel, who has chaired the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee since January.
"Dr. John Gaitanis, Director of the NICHD, has been appointed chair of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee effective today," said HHS spokesperson Emily Hillard.
Fogel, a Harvard Medical School instructor and a parent to an adult child with autism, had worked quickly to propose, and then helped adopt, a sweeping new strategic plan focused on medical care, housing, aging, and other priorities for people with autism and their families.
The IACC under her leadership recommended the government adopt the term "profound autism" for those with high support needs. She took the helm after Kennedy remade the advisory board, filling it with all new members, some of whom have promoted ties between vaccines and autism.
Kennedy said during a meeting that Gaitanis would take over because the committee has traditionally been chaired by one of its 21 federal members, two people with knowledge of the meeting told Reuters. Fogel is one of the committee's 20 outside public members.
He praised the IACC's work so far and Fogel specifically, the two people said, adding that she would be helping Gaitanis with the transition.
"The committee determined that having a federal representative serve as chair will strengthen its focus on implementing the IACC Strategic Plan and coordinating efforts across federal agencies," said Hillard, adding that Fogel would remain on the committee.
"She will assist with meeting preparation, gathering relevant scientific information, organizing and tracking committee priorities, and coordinating with IACC members and working groups," said Hillard.
Fogel did not respond to a request for comment.
Kennedy also said that the IACC had not done its job in the past, and apologized to the public members who may have felt frustrated by a perceived lack of support from federal members, the two people said.
(Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein; Additional Reporting by Robin Respaut in San Francisco; Editing by Nia Williams)
