With controversy raging over the causes of autism 1 in 100 US kids with autistic conditions Dr Francis Collins the new head of the US' National Institutes of Health controlling the US' $30.5 Billion Health Research Budget, a leading geneticist who headed up the human genome project, stated in evidence to Congress in 2006 that autism is caused by factors in the environment and cannot simply be an inherited genetic condition. The drug industry and government health officials worldwide claim autism spectrum conditions are solely genetically caused, denying environmental factors play any role. Independent scientists, medical experts and parents contradict this and say there is good evidence autism is caused by vaccines and environmental toxins like mercury.