Our private medical records belong to us. No one, not the government, not researchers, not politicians, should be allowed to access them without our clear, informed consent. Yet right now, the National Institutes of Health is preparing to hand over sweeping amounts of personal medical data to fuel a new autism study led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

This includes information from veterans, Indigenous communities, Medicaid recipients, people wearing fitness trackers — and yes, possibly you. All without your permission.

RFK Jr. has a long and deeply troubling history of spreading misinformation about autism. He has called it a “preventable disease,” stigmatizing an entire community of neurodivergent individuals and families. Now, he wants to collect and analyze our most sensitive health data under the guise of “research.” We don’t even know who will be handling the data, just that 10 to 20 unknown groups will get access.

This is not transparency. This is surveillance dressed up as science.

The government promises "state-of-the-art protections," but history shows us that once data is centralized, it becomes vulnerable — to misuse, to breaches, to mission creep. No one should have the power to mine our health histories, medication use, genetic information, or private diagnoses unless we say yes. 

Medical records are private for a reason. Consent isn't optional, it's a right.

If you believe in bodily autonomy, in medical privacy, and in ethical science, add your name now. Tell the government: no access without consent.

Photo: Melissa Majchrzak/AP