In an extraordinary and controversial news conference held at the White House earlier this week, US President Donald Trump made headlines by linking autism to childhood vaccine use and the use of common pain relief medication Tylenol (known as paracetamol in many countries) during pregnancy. This unsubstantiated medical advice put forth by the president, who openly acknowledged he is not a medical professional, has led to a significant backlash from the medical community and public health advocates alike.
During his address, Trump strongly advised pregnant women and parents of young children against administering Tylenol, a widely used over-the-counter medication. “I want to say it like it is, don’t take Tylenol. Don’t take it,” he declared, generating widespread concern among health professionals who argue that acetaminophen is generally deemed safe when used appropriately by expectant mothers. The president also voiced misleading concerns regarding vaccine administration, suggesting they should not be given in combination or at such an early age, in stark contrast to the consensus among healthcare experts.
Standing alongside Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a noted vaccine sceptic, Trump called for a re-evaluation of the long-debunked theory linking vaccines and autism. Such claims have been extensively discredited by scientific research, yet Trump’s statements have reignited fears among parents already anxious about childhood vaccinations.
In response to the president’s remarks, numerous medical and autism advocacy groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, swiftly voiced their disapproval. The Coalition of Autism Scientists, in a pointed critique, stated, “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.”
Furthermore, Trump’s team introduced leucovorin, a form of folinic acid, as a potential treatment for autism symptoms, a notion that has also attracted skepticism due to the lack of supportive evidence. Pharmaceutical company Kenvue, the maker of Tylenol, issued a statement affirming the safety of acetaminophen during pregnancy and expressed deep concern over the misleading assertions regarding its link to autism. “We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism,” the statement read. “We strongly disagree with any suggestion otherwise and are deeply concerned with the health risk this poses for expecting mothers and parents.”
This alarming turn of events raises critical questions about how misinformation can shape public health discourse and policy. As the scientific community rallies against the promotion of disproven theories, the hope remains that factual evidence will triumph over fear-based narratives concerning vaccinations and medication