Bridging gaps in autism care: Advocating for an inclusive health policy

Misinformation undermines public trust in vaccines by fueling fear, exaggerating safety risks, promoting conspiracy theories, and casting doubt on health authorities. This drives vaccine hesitancy, reduces vaccination uptake, and jeopardizes disease control. Providing credible and science-based information increases vaccine confidence, leading to higher vaccination rates and fewer illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths.

In December 2025, a World Health Organization (WHO) global expert committee on vaccine safety announced the results of a new analysis which found no causal link between vaccines and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This reaffirmed the WHO’s longstanding position that childhood vaccines do not cause autism.

The myth that vaccines cause autism began with a fraudulent 1998 study that has been conclusively disproven and retracted from the journal in which it was published. Hundreds of well-designed studies have since shown that vaccines are not linked to autism. The methodologically flawed paper was not a proper scientific investigation but a case series of only 12 carefully selected children, many of whose parents already believed the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine was the cause of their children’s autism. It was later revealed that the study’s author had a significant financial conflict of interest, having received funding from lawyers pursuing lawsuits against vaccine manufacturers. The author was subsequently stripped of his medical license in the UK for dishonest and irresponsible behavior.

Autism, also known as ASD, encompasses a diverse range of neurodevelopmental differences characterized by variations in social communication, interaction, and sensory processing. In 2021, about one in 127 people worldwide were autistic. Scientific evidence suggests that certain environmental factors can increase a child’s likelihood of being autistic. These include advanced parental age, gestational diabetes during pregnancy, prenatal exposure to heavy metals or air pollutants, prematurity, severe birth complications, and low birth weight.

A wide range of support, beginning in early childhood and continuing throughout the lifespan, can improve developmental outcomes, autonomy, and well-being for autistic individuals. Timely and evidence-based psychosocial support in the early years helps strengthen communication skills, facilitate learning, and build community participation. Routine monitoring of child development should be an integral part of maternal and child health services. Once a diagnosis is confirmed, the WHO strongly recommends that autistic children, adolescents, and adults — as well as their caregivers — receive appropriate information, services, referrals, and practical support tailored to their unique and evolving needs.

Despite significant progress in awareness, many autistic people continue to face barriers to healthcare and social services. According to the WHO, autistic individuals have significantly higher rates of unmet healthcare needs compared with the general population. The agency further recommends that interventions for people with autism and other developmental disabilities be designed and delivered with the meaningful participation of the people living with these conditions, a principle widely embraced in disability rights movements under the slogan “Nothing about us without us.”

In the Philippines, the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) is strengthening efforts to collaborate with disability and patient advocacy groups. In June 2025, PhilHealth hosted a dialogue with disability advocates, including the Autism Society Philippines (ASP), to address critical gaps in health and rehabilitation services for children and youth with disabilities.

The discussion centered on the implementation of Republic Act 11228, which mandates automatic PhilHealth coverage for all Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). According to the ASP, the provision of rehabilitation and assistive technology services for children with disabilities under the PhilHealth Children’s Benefit Package has been hindered by a shortage of accredited rehabilitation facilities and professionals.

Rehabilitation practitioners who participated in the dialogue expressed their commitment to help PhilHealth develop clear and practical accreditation guidelines for private rehabilitation centers and practitioners. They were also encouraged to register for accreditation with eKonsulta, PhilHealth’s digital platform for its Konsulta program that provides free primary care services to members.

The research-based pharmaceutical industry welcomes these positive steps, as we believe health policy should focus on strengthening primary care. Early screening, diagnosis, and support services anchored in primary care are pivotal in easing the burden of mental and neurological conditions, including autism. These reforms not only improve access to essential services, they move the country closer to a more inclusive and responsive system of care.

As the country observes Autism Consciousness Week, let us continue working together to build a future where autistic children, adolescents, and adults are empowered to thrive with dignity, supported by families, educators, and communities who are never left behind.

Teodoro B. Padilla is the executive director of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines, which represents the biopharmaceutical medicines and vaccines industry in the country. Its members are at the forefront of developing, investing and delivering innovative medicines, vaccines, and diagnostics for Filipinos to live healthier and more productive lives.