Who Really Profits from ‘Treating’ Autism?
Bridgette Hamstead
The autism industrial complex is a massive, profit-driven system that thrives on the idea that autism is a problem to be solved rather than a natural variation of human neurology. Behind the scenes, a network of therapy providers, pharmaceutical companies, research institutions, and non-autistic-led organizations generate billions of dollars annually in the name of autism treatment and awareness. Yet, despite this enormous flow of money, autistic people themselves remain underfunded, unsupported, and frequently excluded from conversations about their own needs. The reality is that much of the money raised and spent in the autism space does not go toward helping autistic people lead better lives. Instead, it funds compliance-based therapies, corporate salaries, and research focused on prevention rather than improving quality of life. The autism industrial complex exists not to serve autistic people but to sustain itself.
One of the largest players in this system is the autism therapy industry, which is dominated by Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA. ABA is marketed as the gold standard of autism treatment despite significant ethical concerns raised by autistic self-advocates. ABA therapy, which is rooted in behaviorist principles, operates on the premise that autistic traits should be reduced or eliminated to help children function in a neurotypical world. Through rigid reward-and-punishment systems, children are trained to suppress their natural behaviors, including stimming, avoiding eye contact, or communicating in ways that do not conform to social norms. While ABA providers claim their therapy improves long-term outcomes, many autistic adults who underwent ABA describe it as traumatizing, leading to anxiety, difficulty with self-advocacy, and a lifetime of masking their true selves. Despite these concerns, ABA remains a multi-billion-dollar industry, with insurance companies and government programs funding it as the primary option for autistic children. The demand for ABA services has created a highly profitable market, where therapists and providers benefit financially while autistic people who speak out against its harms are ignored.
Another major beneficiary of the autism industrial complex is the pharmaceutical industry. While there is no medication that treats autism itself, many autistic individuals are prescribed drugs to manage co-occurring conditions such as anxiety, ADHD, depression, and sensory processing difficulties. The problem is not that autistic people sometimes need medication, but that the pharmaceutical industry often frames autism-related traits as disorders requiring intervention rather than differences requiring accommodation. Drugs are frequently prescribed to make autistic people more manageable rather than to support their actual well-being. The emphasis on pharmaceutical solutions also diverts funding and attention away from structural changes that would make the world more accessible to autistic people. Instead of focusing on sensory-friendly schools, employment accommodations, and inclusive healthcare, the autism industrial complex continues to funnel money into symptom management, reinforcing the idea that autistic people themselves need to change rather than the systems that exclude them.
Research institutions and nonprofit organizations also play a significant role in sustaining the autism industrial complex. The majority of autism research funding still goes toward causes, prevention, and potential cures rather than services and support. Large sums are invested in genetic studies attempting to identify the origins of autism, despite widespread opposition from the autistic community. These studies fuel fears of eugenics, as many autistic people worry that the goal is not to improve autistic lives but to eliminate autism altogether. Meanwhile, research into issues that directly impact autistic people, such as accessible housing, employment support, and healthcare disparities, remains underfunded. The disconnect between what autistic people actually need and where research funding is allocated highlights the priorities of the autism industrial complex. It is not about making life better for autistic people. It is about maintaining a system that profits from framing autism as a medical problem rather than a neurodevelopmental difference.
Many of the largest autism organizations are also complicit in this system. High-profile charities and advocacy groups, often run by non-autistic parents and professionals, raise millions of dollars annually while doing little to actually improve the lives of autistic people. These organizations promote awareness campaigns that center fear-based messaging, depicting autism as a burden on families rather than a valid way of being. They push for early intervention programs that prioritize making autistic children appear more neurotypical rather than helping them understand and accept themselves. Autistic-led organizations, by contrast, operate on a fraction of the funding, often struggling to secure grants and donations despite being the ones advocating for real, systemic change. The power imbalance between autistic-run initiatives and non-autistic-led organizations ensures that funding continues to flow toward those who control the autism industrial complex, not those who actually live with autism.
The financial incentives behind the autism industrial complex create a cycle where autistic people’s needs are ignored in favor of what is most profitable. Services that could provide real help, such as occupational therapy that respects sensory needs, peer support programs, and workplace accommodations, receive far less attention and investment than high-cost interventions and pharmaceutical solutions. Meanwhile, autistic people themselves are often left struggling with unemployment, inaccessible healthcare, and a lack of community support. The industries that claim to help autistic people are the same ones profiting from their marginalization, ensuring that autism remains framed as a condition to be treated rather than a population to be supported.
Breaking free from the autism industrial complex requires a fundamental shift in priorities. Funding must be redirected toward services that enhance quality of life rather than those that seek to suppress autistic traits. Autistic-led organizations need to be elevated and financially supported so that advocacy efforts are guided by those with lived experience rather than outside professionals. Research funding should focus on accessibility, inclusion, and co-occurring conditions rather than genetic studies aimed at prevention. Above all, the narrative around autism must change from one of tragedy and burden to one of acceptance and empowerment.
The autism industrial complex exists because society has been conditioned to believe that autism is a problem to be solved. But autistic people do not need fixing. They need a world that values their existence, listens to their voices, and prioritizes their needs over corporate profit. The first step in dismantling this harmful system is to stop giving power and money to those who see autism as a market and start supporting those who see autistic people as human beings.