On Monday, President Donald Trump announced that the popular pain reliever Tylenol might be a primary cause of autism in children, prompting new usage restrictions and further investigations.
During a White House press conference, Trump stated that just decades ago, autism affected only 1 in 20,000 children. Now, in some areas, it’s as high as 1 in 31. Since 2000, they’ve seen a staggering 400% increase in autism rates.
He suggested that this dramatic rise indicates artificial factors, asserting that acetaminophen, commonly known as Tylenol, may increase the risk of autism when taken by pregnant women or children.
Trump cited the Amish community in the U.S. and Cuba as examples, arguing that they rarely use Tylenol and have minimal autism cases.
Trump announced that he’ve directed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to immediately issue new prescription guidelines to doctors. He noted that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will also release 13 new studies on autism.
He cautioned that while you might need to take one pill for an unbearable fever, never use Tylenol during pregnancy. He further noted that unfortunately, it lacks safe alternatives, and both aspirin and Advil have proven harmful.
Trump also proposed changes to vaccination protocols, stating that the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine components should be administered separately, as they’ve already done with the chickenpox vaccine. Further, there’s no need to vaccinate newborns against hepatitis B, a sexually transmitted disease. He said it’s better to wait until they’re 12 and fully developed.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that the FDA will issue new guidance on the risks of acetaminophen during pregnancy and initiate revisions to safety labels.
He added that they’ll encourage doctors to prescribe the minimum effective dose for the shortest necessary duration when treating fever and pain in pregnant women.
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mehmet Oz joined Kennedy at the announcement.
This unprecedented warning from the U.S. government about Tylenol’s potential link to autism is expected to have far-reaching implications.
However, the scientific community has not established a clear link between Tylenol and autism. The proposed changes to vaccination guidelines contradict current public health policies, and are likely to spark intense debate.
Reuters reported that the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has found no causal evidence connecting prenatal acetaminophen use to autism.
Tylenol, manufactured by Kenvue (a recent spin-off from Johnson & Johnson), is widely available at U.S. retailers such as Costco Wholesale Corporation.
Kenvue issued a statement defending its product that it firmly believes that independent, reliable scientific research has clearly demonstrated that acetaminophen use does not cause autism. Further, they strongly refute claims to the contrary, which could pose serious risks to the health of pregnant women.
