In a striking assertion from the White House, President Donald Trump has raised alarms over the potential dangers of Tylenol during pregnancy, positing a direct tie to autism in children a notion swiftly challenged by leading medical authorities. During a September 22 briefing, Trump spotlighted the popular over-the-counter pain reliever, known generically as acetaminophen, while floating leucovorin, a folic acid derivative, as a promising avenue for easing autism-related symptoms.
“Taking Tylenol is not good. I’ll say it. Not good,” Trump declared bluntly, underscoring his point with a call for caution. He elaborated that health officials are now urging expectant mothers to curb Tylenol intake to only essential medical scenarios, a recommendation he extended to parents avoiding routine doses for infants post-vaccination. “You shouldn’t give the child a Tylenol every time he gets a shot,” he cautioned.
The remarks unfolded in the Roosevelt Room, with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in attendance, amid the administration’s intensifying focus on pediatric health crises. Trump revealed plans for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to alert physicians about acetaminophen’s purported heightened autism risks in utero, though he offered no empirical backing for the correlation.
Leucovorin entered the conversation as a beacon of hope. The FDA greenlit a GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)-produced formulation of the drug earlier this year for treating cerebral folate deficiency, a scarce metabolic condition that mirrors certain neurological traits observed in autism spectrum disorders. Agency records detail a rigorous evaluation involving 40 affected patients, paving the way for its novel application.
Pushback came fast from the pharmaceutical sector. Tylenol’s maker, Kenvue which carved out its independence from Johnson & Johnson in 2023 issued a firm rebuttal. “We disagree with the suggestion of a link, which is not based in science,” a spokesperson stated on Monday. Generic acetaminophen variants, ubiquitous in pharmacies nationwide, face similar scrutiny under this narrative.
This episode aligns with the Trump White House’s aggressive pivot on public wellness, propelled by Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again initiative. The effort grapples with surging autism diagnoses across the U.S., prompting sweeping reforms at bodies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Recent CDC advisory panel shifts have recalibrated guidance on COVID-19 and routine immunizations, drawing fire from detractors who highlight the inclusion of longstanding vaccine skeptics.
Trump’s intervention injects fresh urgency into a polarized debate, blending policy pronouncements with unverified health advisories. As the administration presses forward, the medical community braces for the fallout, emphasizing evidence-led care amid the clamor for change.
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