Professor Dame Uta Frith

“In my worst moments, I think it's a great number, but in my best moments, I think it is a small number.”

Professor Dame Uta Frith · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-21

Professor Dame Uta Frith reflected on the number of people who may be misdiagnosed with autism.

“both in research and in general awareness”

Professor Dame Uta Frith · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-21

Professor Dame Uta Frith expressed concern that autistic people with intellectual disabilities are overlooked.

“a label that doesn't exist yet”

Professor Dame Uta Frith · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-21

Professor Dame Uta Frith suggested researchers might need new labels for some diagnosed individuals.

“late-diagnosed group, mainly females”

Professor Dame Uta Frith · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-21

Professor Dame Uta Frith identified what she believes is driving the increase in autism diagnoses.

“It would be a terrible thing to take away a diagnosis retrospectively. It's the future I'm concerned with, making diagnostic process more precise - targeting very different individual needs rather than a label.”

Professor Dame Uta Frith · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-21

Professor Dame Uta Frith argued against retrospectively removing autism diagnoses.

“Are they best served by this label autism? I would like them to get better service than they're getting.”

Professor Dame Uta Frith · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-21

Professor Dame Uta Frith questioned whether individuals are best served by the autism label.

“Some people would say it would be better for me to stop. But I want to get at the truth.”

Professor Dame Uta Frith · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-21

Professor Dame Uta Frith defended her decision to continue speaking out despite receiving hate mail.

“If someone has been misdiagnosed, I don't want them to suffer for it.”

Professor Dame Uta Frith · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-21

Professor Dame Uta Frith expressed her intention not to cause suffering for misdiagnosed individuals.

“These cases are in great need of support. They have been completely overshadowed.”

Professor Dame Uta Frith · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-21

Professor Dame Uta Frith emphasized the high support needs of autistic people who have been overshadowed.

“I am sceptical of late diagnosis. That's where I think the diagnostic process has become very superficial.”

Professor Dame Uta Frith · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-21

Professor Dame Uta Frith expressed skepticism toward the diagnostic process for late-diagnosed autism.