President Donald Trump and other top officials said the FDA would be updating prescription policy to quell the use of acetaminophen by expecting mothers in an announcement on Monday, Sept. 22, suggesting causality between the drug and autism.
Acetaminophen, most commonly sold as Tylenol in the United States, is used by pregnant mothers as a pain reliever and treatment for the cold and flu. Known as paracetamol outside the U.S., the drug has long been deemed safe for expecting mothers and vital to help an immune system that is already weakened during pregnancy.
Additionally, Trump and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. commented that the amount of infant vaccines could be connected to the rise of autism spectrum disorder, with Trump remarking, “[A]nd it’s so important to me to see the doctor four times or five times for a vaccine. Don’t let them pump your baby up with the largest pile of stuff you’ve ever seen in your life going into the delicate little body of a baby.”
Furthermore, Kennedy took steps to enforce leucovorin to treat the disorder. Leucovorin, a variant of vitamin B9, has long been used to reduce the harmful side effects of methotrexate, a drug used in chemotherapy.
The announcement has left the greater medical community at a loss. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists called the comments “irresponsible,” “highly concerning,” and “unsettling.” A statement from the Autism Science Foundation said, “Pregnant women deserve clear, evidence-based guidance—not incomplete conclusions that could erode confidence in safe, beneficial care.”
Skepticism surrounding vaccines and modern medicine is certainly not a novel concept. A popular belief in the late 19th century was that infant vaccination against smallpox was a violation of civil liberty.Protests surrounding vaccinations have been popular since the 1890s.
However, concerns surrounding acetaminophen’s connection with autism in particular started in the early 2000s, as researchers like Anthony R. Torres and Stephen T. Schultz found a correlation between the increase of autism in infants and the rise of acetaminophen prescription for expecting mothers.
While it is true that diagnosed cases of autism have increased globally, many experts attribute this to a more comprehensive diagnosis of the condition in the present day. According to Johns Hopkins University, the rise in diagnoses can largely be explained by a broader definition of autism spectrum disorder and more widespread screening efforts globally.
This is also not the first example of medical advice from Trump’s White House that has baffled the world of medicine. Trump infamously suggested the injection of bleach to treat the novel COVID-19 in a press conference in April 2020.
This time, the president’s advice to “tough it out” and avoid Tylenol may have the reverse effect on the well-being of both the mother and the child. The NIH has suggested that ailments like the flu in pregnant mothers are positively correlated with birth defects.
The recent claims about Tylenol put expecting mothers in a dangerous situation, as the alarming messaging will discourage pregnant women from remedying pain or fever, putting both themselves and their babies at risk.
In response to the administration’s claims, leading medical organizations like the AHCJ (Association of Health Care Journalists) have moved quickly to counter what they describe as “misinformation”. In a statement from the AHCJ, infectious disease reporter Tara Haelle states, “Because the CDC, FDA and other federal health agencies are no longer reliable sources of information, journalists should use and cite evidence-based sources and highlight the expertise they provide that diverges from the federal administration’s claims.” This divisive claim by the AHCJ is a part of a growing movement by public health leaders and medical institutions to reassert evidence-based medicine and reassure vulnerable populations that the science has not changed, even if the politics and policies surrounding the science have.
While previous GOP policies have endangered maternal and child health, Kennedy and Trump have gone astray from evidence-based guidance in maternal and infant health. Attacks against vaccination and modern medicine not only endanger mothers and children alike, but also cast doubt on healthcare professionals who only want to pursue truth above all.
Neuroscience major and Chobani greek yogurt’s No. 1 fan
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