"The attacks that Casey is unqualified because she left the medical system completely miss the point," the health secretary said.

Casey Means’ nomination to the post comes after former Fox News contributor Janette Nesheiwat’s nomination was abruptly withdrawn.

Federal health officials want to collect individuals' health data so they can answer questions about autism and chronic diseases. The idea is not novel.

Researchers will be able to examine datasets to explore patterns, treatment outcomes and potential causes linked to autism.

The National Institutes of Health will partner with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid to create a database of Americans with autism, using insurance claims, medical records and smartwatch data.