New Autism Term Proposed for Highest Support Needs

An advisory committee to the U.S. Health Secretary has proposed a new term, "profound autism," to better identify individuals with the most significant support requirements. This recommendation, made on April 28, 2026, aims to improve federal efforts in autism research and care coordination. The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), responsible for guiding approximately $2 billion in annual federal autism research, is spearheading this initiative. Many newly appointed members have connections to the autism community, including parents and autistic individuals themselves. The committee also highlighted critical gaps in medical care, stressing the need to address undiagnosed co-occurring health conditions. These include gastrointestinal, sleep, neurological, autoimmune, and metabolic disorders, which are frequently overlooked or misattributed to autism, leaving patients without essential treatment. The proposal aims to ensure that individuals with the greatest medical complexity and functional needs are not excluded from research designed to benefit them. The committee's recommendations will be forwarded to the Health Secretary for consideration.