Trump Admin Links Rising Autism Rates To Tylenol Use — Behind The Science
President Trump and his top health officials drew a link between autism and the use of Tylenol (active ingredient: acetaminophen) during pregnancy, while releasing a new federal report on Monday afternoon from the White House.
Trump announced that the FDA will immediately advise doctors against Tylenol use during pregnancy, except to treat “extremely high fever, that you feel you can't tough it out.” He went further to say that young children should also not take it.
Acetaminophen is widely used among pregnant women and has been considered one of the few safe options for treating pain or fever during pregnancy.
Federal health officials also announced they are updating the label for a drug called leucovorin, a form of the vitamin folate, to include its potential to treat autism symptoms. Leucovorin is typically prescribed to treat anemia or to counteract the side effects of cancer medications.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced it will be devoting an additional $50 million to study autism.
HOW THEY GOT HERE
The administration appears to be relying its Tylenol findings on a recent Harvard-led analysis of 46 previous studies with 100,000 participants, which found an association — but not a direct causation —between prenatal Tylenol use and a child's likelihood of developing neurodevelopmental disorders including autism.
However, a 2024 Swedish study of more than 2 million children found no link between Tylenol use in pregnancy and autism. Instead, it found that genetics and environment may be factors.
By the numbers: One out of 31 8-year-olds in the U.S. was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in 2022 — up from 1 in 36 in 2020, and 1 in 150 in 2000 — attributed in part to increased screenings and better diagnoses.
Finding the cause of autism has long been a part of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s agenda. He has previously linked autism to vaccines, but numerous studies have proven that to be false.
PUSHBACK FROM DOCS
Linking acetaminophen use to autism is “based on limited, conflicting, and inconsistent science and is premature given the current science,” the Autism Science Foundation has said.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists still says that Tylenol is safe to use — especially for fevers, as those can be harmful to babies in the womb — but recommends pregnant people consult with their doctors first before taking any medication.