Trump administration set to tie Tylenol to autism risk

U.S. President Donald Trump, alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., unveiled significant medical findings on autism during a White House announcement.

President Donald Trump said on Monday that Food and Drug Administration will tell doctors to advise pregnant women against using Tylenol, known as acetaminophen, because of an increased risk of autism.

"Taking Tylenol is not good. I'll say it -- it's not good," Trump said. "For this reason, they are strongly recommending that women limit Tylenol use during pregnancy unless medically necessary."

President's recent announcement linking the use of Tylenol during pregnancy to an increased risk of autism has sparked significant controversy. During a speech at Charlie Kirk's memorial service, Trump stated, "I think we found an answer to autism," and later suggested that taking Tylenol is "not good" and "artificially induced," without providing scientific evidence to support these claims. 

Medical experts have strongly criticised these assertions. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists maintains that acetaminophen is one of the few painkillers and fever reducers considered safe for pregnant mothers to use. Additionally, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that it has "not found clear evidence that appropriate use of acetaminophen during pregnancy causes adverse pregnancy, birth, neurobehavioral, or developmental outcomes." 

The drug's manufacturer, Kenvue, also refuted the claim, emphasising that scientific evidence does not support a connection between acetaminophen and autism. Following the announcement, Kenvue's stock experienced a significant drop, reflecting investor concerns over the potential impact of these statements according to the Financial Times.

In addition to the Tylenol-autism link, the administration introduced leucovorin, a form of folic acid, as a potential treatment for autism symptoms. However, experts caution that while leucovorin has shown promise in small trials for certain neurological conditions, large, randomised trials are still needed to establish its efficacy for autism. 

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