Cure Autism Now

Cure Autism Now (CAN) describes itself as an organization of parents, clinicians and leading scientists committed to accelerating the pace of biomedical research in autism through raising money for research projects, education and outreach. Founded by Jonathan Shestack and Portia Iversen -- parents of a child with autism -- in 1995, the organization has grown from a kitchen-table effort to a provider of support for autism research and scientific resources. The organization's primary focus is to fund essential research through a variety of programs designed to encourage innovative approaches toward identifying the causes, prevention, treatment and a cure for autism and related disorders.

Since its founding, Cure Autism Now has committed more than $39 million in research, the establishment and ongoing support of the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE), and numerous outreach and awareness activities aimed at families, physicians, governmental officials and the general public.

On Feb. 1, 2007, CAN announced that it is combining operations with Autism Speaks. It is expected to take a year for the full integration of the two organizations to be completed.

Criticism from autistic self-advocates
A wide variety of autistic self-advocates find a "cure" extremely insulting and hurtful. Many people on the autism spectrum as well as parents find autism as more of a way of being than something inherently wrong, and believes that seeking a cure is not the best way to help autistic people today.

The main criticism of Cure Autism Now is that the organization have spread very negative images of the condition which many people have felt insulting. The organization has also been criticized for not listening to the experiences of autistic adults.

Dr. Tony Attwood, author of Asperger's Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals, has described the most pervasive problem among autistic adults as being a feeling that their families have rejected them and what they are. Some autistic people and the professionals who work with them feel that Cure Autism Now exacerbates this feeling of rejection.

The goal of the organisation has also been questioned. While the aggressive marketing seem to promote curing of autism, alot of their finances go to the development of a prenetal tests. While spokespeople of the organisation has claimed that the prenetal test will be used for earlier diagnosis many people fear the it will cause widespread abortion of potentially autistic fetuses.