The US government’s proposal for a vast health database to study autism could improve our understanding of the condition – but there is a risk it could do more harm than good

CMS and NIH will start this partnership by establishing a data use agreement under CMS' Research Data Disclosure Program focused on Medicare and Medicaid enrollees with a diagnosis of autism. Autism prevalence in the U.S. has increased to 1 in 31 children, from 1 in 36, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The National Institutes of Health will partner with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid to create a database of Americans with autism, using insurance claims, medical records and smartwatch data.