Association for Science in Autism Treatment

ASAT has warned against chelation therapy as an autism treatment, noting that two children have been reported to have died as a result of this therapy, and concluding that "there is not enough scientific evidence available at this time to advocate a role for chelation of heavy metals in the treatment of autism, and there is potential for adverse side effects."[8] They take a similar viewpoint with regard to the use of secretin.[9] Treatments they consider to be unproven, rather than disproven, include homeopathy[10] and animal therapy.[11] Published research related to the hundreds of autism treatments are provided on ASAT's website.

ASAT was criticized in 1999, by Bernard Rimland, who contended that applied behavior analysis is not as effective as the ASAT claims and called their position on autism treatments "nonsensical and counterfactual."[12] The ASAT responded by saying that, in recent years, the Autism Research Review International, where Rimland had published his article, had displayed "a consistent pattern of premature and uncritical promotion of treatment “breakthroughs” in the absence of credible research support," including facilitated communication.[13] Currently, applied behavior analysis is the treatment that enjoys the most scientific support[14]