Trump Administration to Warn Pregnant Women on Tylenol, Autism Link

 

 

The Trump administration plans to issue a warning Monday linking acetaminophen — the active ingredient in Tylenol — to autism in children, according to The Washington Post. Officials are expected to caution pregnant women against using the common pain reliever unless they have a fever.

 

The move comes despite recent court rulings and large-scale studies finding no causal connection. In late 2023, a federal judge dismissed more than 400 lawsuits alleging prenatal Tylenol exposure caused autism, calling the evidence “flawed.” A 2024 Swedish study involving 2.5 million sibling births also found no increased risk.

 

Kenvue, the maker of Tylenol, declined to comment Sunday but has previously said science does not support the autism claims. Shares in the company have dropped amid reports of government scrutiny.

 

The administration also plans to promote leucovorin, a prescription drug normally used in cancer treatment, as a potential autism therapy. President Donald Trump teased an autism-related announcement Saturday without giving details.

 

The White House and the Department of Health and Human Services have not yet responded to requests for comment.

Key Takeaways

• Warning expected: Trump administration to advise pregnant women against Tylenol use unless for fever.

• Evidence disputed: Courts and recent studies find no causal link between acetaminophen and autism.

• Alternative drug: Administration to promote leucovorin as a potential autism treatment.

 

Read original report

Is that science or the brain worm doing the warning?

 

 

I don’t understand what Mr. Trump means, because leucovorin is used only when folic acid isn’t sufficient for specific medical conditions, whereas folic acid, or vitamin B9, has long been safely recommended for pregnant women.

 

12 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Is that science or the brain worm doing the warning?

 

I think the OP post's excerpt, and the full Washington Post article, give a fair recap of what the current credible science is showing on this topic, Trump and RFK Jr. politics notwithstanding:

 

"The move comes despite recent court rulings and large-scale studies finding no causal connection. In late 2023, a federal judge dismissed more than 400 lawsuits alleging prenatal Tylenol exposure caused autism, calling the evidence “flawed.” A 2024 Swedish study involving 2.5 million sibling births also found no increased risk." [emphasis added]

 

I've been reading a lot in the medical and public health literature on this lately, and this above is what it's saying overall, especially the above-cited Swedish study, which is considered compelling because by examining siblings, some who got Tylenol and others who didn't, the researchers were able to make comparisons that excluded what otherwise might have been many extraneous confounding factors.

 

I wouldn't say the science and public health community are discounting the Tylenol-autism issue 100%.... But they view the current evidence showing no connection as being very strong. That, and, the current Trump Admin. and the political appointees under HHS Sec. RFK Jr. have shown an appalling lack of credibility and accuracy in the public health/medical reports they've issued thus far this year, preceding the Tylenol-autism issue.

 

See:

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1369297-rfk-jr-cites-3-false-claims-to-justify-canceling-vaccine-funding/

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1369764-rfk-jrs-lies-about-mrna-vaccines-exposed/#findComment-20017675

 

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Then in the background is another medical issue. Tylenol is one of the main over-the-counter fever reducing medicines. And past research has also shown that women who experience fevers while pregnant [potentially because they might avoid using Tylenol] can risk documented medical harm to their unborn babies. 

 

Per the Yale School of Public Health:

 

"For decades, acetaminophen—best known under the brand name Tylenol—has been the most commonly recommended pain reliever for pregnant women. Pain and fever during pregnancy can create risks to the pregnancy and the fetus. [emphasis added]

...

Unfortunately, there is no equivalent alternative for Tylenol at the moment, as other over-the-counter pain medications, such as ibuprofen, are recommended to be avoided during pregnancy, especially after 20 weeks of gestation.

...

"Thus, it is recommended that pregnant women consult with their health care providers and, if pain relief is necessary, that they use the lowest effective dose and duration for Tylenol to alleviate these conditions."

 

https://ysph.yale.edu/news-article/what-the-research-says-about-autism-and-tylenol-use-during-pregnancy/

 

That's what I would consider to be the mainstream medical and public health guidance at the moment.

 

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There's also a broader general debate over the underlying issue of autism and the cause/causes of increases in reported cases in the U.S. in recent years. Trump and RFK Jr. have taken the public postures [fixation] that some medication or environmental  factors have driven the increases. But a lot of the public health and medical community consider those political claims to be overblown, and attribute the case increases to primarily to changes and better methods in diagnostics and better awareness and recognition of the condition.

 

Such as, per the U.S. CDC earlier this year:

 

US autism rate continues to rise, CDC says, pointing to greater awareness and better screening

April 15, 2025

 

(CNN) -- A new study from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the autism diagnosis rate has increased among US children, continuing a long-term trend that experts have largely attributed to better understanding of and screening for the condition.

...

And the rise in autism rates among children probably reflects more positive trends, experts say.

 

“A lot has changed over the years, and this continued rise in prevalence reflects, in part, real progress: increased awareness, broader diagnostic criteria, and more consistent, standardized screening tools have all contributed to more children being identified earlier and more accurately – underscored the need for continued support and investment in the autism community,” Dr. Andy Shih, chief science officer for Autism Speaks, a nonprofit advocacy and research group, said in a statement.

 

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/15/health/autism-rate-cdc-report-2022

 

So my non-medical person's prescription would be -- for now, notwithstanding the coming wave of Trump and RFK Jr. generated news coverage, to take their current Tylenol claims with a grain of salt!  But pregnant women, and others too for other health reasons, should take it sparingly and only as much as is really necessary.

 

 

Which Nobel Prize does trump get for 'curing' Autism?

 

Has anybody answered the question of why Tylenol was not reccomended for pregancy by the manufacturer years ago?