"The attacks that Casey is unqualified because she left the medical system completely miss the point," the health secretary said.

Casey Means’ nomination to the post comes after former Fox News contributor Janette Nesheiwat’s nomination was abruptly withdrawn.

President Trump said his new pick for surgeon general, Dr. Casey Means, has "impeccable" credentials, after the White House withdrew his earlier nominee.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a plan to use medical data and records from people on Medicaid and Medicare to help study autism.

Researchers will be able to examine datasets to explore patterns, treatment outcomes and potential causes linked to autism.

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.