News and Knowledge

The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) recently released a report, Autism Spectrum Disorder Research Publication Analysis: The Global Landscape of Autism Research, in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Thomson Reuters. The report, which will help guide future planning policy considerations, seeks to answer several key questions about the state of autism research in terms of content focus, growth, impact, funding source, geography, and collaborative efforts. Findings include:

• Autism research has outpaced research growth in comparable fields over the last 10 to 15 years; most research focuses on biology, risk factors, treatments, and interventions.
• Research on both genetic and environmental risk factors have increased dramatically; most treatment and intervention research focuses on specific behavioral interventions.
• The impact of autism research (extent to which research publications are cited as source of information) has consistently increased in the last 15 years.
• Only one-third of autism publications from 2010 acknowledge a funding source; those that do recognize at least 700 unique funders, with collaboration between government and private sources being common.
• Autism research was published in over 50 countries in 2010; the United States (followed by the United Kingdom and Canada) produce the most autism research, but international activity is rapidly increasing.

The IACC, whose members include federal officials and community stakeholders, was formed by Congress in 2006, to carry out several key functions:

• Developing and updating annually a strategic plan to guide federal investments in autism research
• Monitoring research activities and progress, and communication information about advances in autism research to Congress and the public
• Providing a forum for public participation in the dialogue about issues that affect the autism community 

Interested in learning more?  You can read the full report on IACC’s Web site.