Health
Trump Makes Claims on Autism, FDA, and Medication
Health Points
- President Trump announced new FDA actions regarding autism treatments and medication safety warnings for pregnant women.
- The FDA updated the label for leucovorin, now referencing its use for autism symptoms, but scientific support for this purpose is limited.
- Experts emphasize there is no proven link between acetaminophen (Tylenol) use in pregnancy and autism, despite recent statements.
The Trump administration announced the FDA has updated leucovorin’s label to include reference to relieving some autism symptoms, although major health researchers caution that evidence supporting this use remains limited.
President Trump also said that doctors should be careful prescribing acetaminophen, like Tylenol, to pregnant women, suggesting it could possibly be associated with autism, a stance not supported by most organizations and studies so far.
Kennedy and Oz, key administration figures, outlined planned Medicaid coverage for specific medications and upcoming changes to safety guidelines for healthcare providers. The FDA intends to release a formal safety warning about acetaminophen use during pregnancy for cases other than high fever.
NIH will invest $50 million in new research examining multiple factors behind autism, including genetics, nutrition, and environmental exposures. Experts agree that autism likely has a wide range of causes and cannot be attributed to one factor alone.
“Given this wide range of symptoms across the spectrum, it seems certain that there will be a wide range of biological contributors to explaining the cause,” Bhattacharya said.
Many medical professionals dispute the connection between acetaminophen and autism, pointing to decades of evidence. Acetaminophen remains widely used during pregnancy and is considered safe by leading obstetric and medical organizations.
Bryant, a high-risk obstetrician, noted, “This is not new… studies show maybe some kind of association, but not clearly showing any cause and effect.”
Stay informed about evolving health recommendations and consult trusted providers before making medication or treatment changes.
