Autism Research Institute

The Autism Research Institute is an organization that promotes the idea that autism can be "cured" through extensive behavior modification. They were formerly known as Defeat Autism Now![1] They appear on Quackwatch's list of "questionable research entities".[2] Even Jenny McCarthy's Generation Rescue agree that they are quacks, refusing to give grants to anyone who consults them.[3] You know what they say about stopped clocks…

Against allopathy Alternative medicine

Clinically unproven

Allopathic BX Protocol Carrot Christiane Northrup Copper bracelet Craniosacral therapy David P. Amrein Ear light therapy Grapefruit seed extract Graviola Nasha Winters Rex Research Samuel Hahnemann The Mind Unleashed Traditional Korean medicine Traumeel v - t - e

Nevertheless, Charity Navigator gives them 4/4 stars,[4] proving that you should take Charity Navigator ratings with a grain of salt.

History

The Autism Research Institute was founded by Dr. Bernard Rimland. Rimland believed that autism was caused not by bad parenting, but by vaccines,[5] and autistic children simply needed detoxing.[6]

The "Defeat Autism Now!" protocol involved bizarre biomedical "treatments" such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy, chelation therapy, and restrictive diets. The Autism Research Institute is also looking into behavioral therapy and genetic causes of autism.

See also

• Anti-vaccination movement
• Applied behavior analysis
• Chelation therapy
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy

References

1. ARI conference homepage
2. List of Questionable Organizations
3. Generation Rescue Biomedical Grant Application
4. Charity Navigator: Autism Research Institute
5. Why the Defeat Autism Now (DAN!) Protocol Was Discontinued
6. [https://www.quackwatch.org/04ConsumerEducation/Nonrecorg/dan/overview.html A Critical Look at Defeat Autism Now! and the "DAN! Protocol"]

This alternative medicine-related article is a stub.
You can help RationalWiki by expanding it.