Medical and autism experts decry Trump’s Tylenol claims – US politics live | US news
Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature Speaking on a call organized by Defend America Action, a campaign group, Debra Houry, a former chief medical officer and deputy director at the CDC, told journalists: “As of three weeks ago, we hadn’t seen evidence that acetaminophen was linked with…
Key events
Speaking on a call organized by Defend America Action, a campaign group, Debra Houry, a former chief medical officer and deputy director at the CDC, told journalists: “As of three weeks ago, we hadn’t seen evidence that acetaminophen was linked with autism, so it’s curious to know how quickly that was developed.”
“There are many studies which refute a link, but the most important was a Swedish study of 2.4m births published in 2024 which used actual sibling data and found no relationship between exposure to paracetamol [known in the US as acetaminophen] in utero and subsequent autism, ADHD or intellectual disability,” said Dr Monique Botha, associate professor in social and developmental psychology at Durham University
“The fearmongering will prevent women from accessing the appropriate care during pregnancy.
Alison Singer, president and founder of the Autism Science Foundation, voiced scathing criticism of the administration’s approach – specifically its assertions on Tylenol, which she called “not scientifically based”.
“Any association between Tylenol and autism is based on very limited, conflicting and inconsistent science, and it’s premature to make this kind of unsubstantiated claim and risk undermining public health,” she said.
“It’s misleading to families who deserve clear more factually based information.”
She also questioned the basis of the White House announcement. “We’re uncertain as to why this press conference is being held today. To our knowledge, there was no new data that were uncovered, no new studies published, no new presentations were made. There wasn’t a scientific conference or a medical conference,” Singer said.
Opening summary
Good morning, and welcome to our coverage of US politics on a busy day for Donald Trump as he is due to address the UN general assembly at 9.50am EST with several meetings scheduled for later. We’ll be bringing you all the news through the day.
But first let’s cover some other developments, including the reaction to Monday’s press conference when the president linked autism to the taking of popular pain medication Tylenol, known as paracetamol elsewhere, by women when pregnant.
He delivered medical advice to pregnant women and parents of young children, repeatedly telling them not to use or administer the painkiller and suggesting that common vaccines not be taken together or so early in a child’s life.
“I want to say it like it is, don’t take Tylenol. Don’t take it,” Trump said. “Other things that we recommend, or certainly I do anyway, is … don’t let them pump your baby up with the largest pile of stuff you’ve ever seen in your life,” he said, referring to vaccines.
Trump’s team suggested leucovorin, a form of folic acid, as a treatment for autism symptoms.
Dozens of medical, research, and autism advocacy groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, decried the president’s announcement.
“The data cited do not support the claim that Tylenol causes autism and leucovorin is a cure, and only stoke fear and falsely suggest hope when there is no simple answer,” the Coalition of Autism Scientists said in a statement, reported Reuters.
New York University bioethicist Art Caplan told Associated Press it was “the saddest display of a lack of evidence, rumors, recycling old myths, lousy advice, outright lies, and dangerous advice I have ever witnessed by anyone in authority.”
You can read our report here:
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