Medical professionals and autism advocates, including one in Oklahoma, raised concerns about the Trump administration’s endorsement of claims linking autism and the usage of acetaminophen – the active ingredient in Tylenol – during pregnancy.
President Donald Trump repeatedly said during a Monday press briefing featuring top health officials that pregnant women should not take the pain reliever “unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
“Don't take Tylenol. Don't take it. … I mean, fight like hell not to take it,” Trump said. “There may be a point where you have to, and that you'll have to work out with yourself.”
The FDA issued a physician notice and will begin the process of issuing a safety label change, said U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Although the notice stated a causal relationship between acetaminophen and autism has not been established and acknowledged the existence of contrary studies. It said the association is “an ongoing area of scientific debate.”
The National Institutes of Health also announced the recipients of the Autism Data Science Initiative, which will fund 13 projects with more than $50 million to study autism.
What are medical professionals saying?
Many scientists believe autism – a neurodevelopmental condition – is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. And, for years, they have conducted research on potential connections between acetaminophen and autism. Those studies have produced inconclusive results.
Dr. Brian Lee, a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at Drexel University, is a co-author of a study that analyzed 2.5 million pregnancies and followed the moms and children for up to 20 years in Sweden. He said although the study found a slight statistical increase in children’s risk of neurodevelopmental disorders associated with acetaminophen use, that link disappeared when they compared siblings born to the same mother.
“In other words, there was no increase in risk of autism or ADHD associated with acetaminophen use,” Lee said. “And what that told us was that familial confounding factors, such as maternal genetics, were likely explaining the apparent statistical association.”
He also acknowledged that rates of autism diagnoses are increasing – a point heavily made during Monday’s conference. But Lee said he doesn’t think acetaminophen is “a credible suspect.”
“A large part of this is, of course, going to be due to increasing awareness, changing diagnostic criteria and just better recognition of autism symptoms in schools,” Lee said.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists affirmed the safety and benefits of acetaminophen during pregnancy in a Monday statement. Dr. Steven J. Fleischman, ACOG’s president, said acetaminophen is one of the few options available to pregnant patients to treat pain and fever.
“The conditions people use acetaminophen to treat during pregnancy are far more dangerous than any theoretical risks and can create severe morbidity and mortality for the pregnant person and the fetus,” Fleischman said.
What are advocates saying?
Autism advocates also responded to the White House event. The Autism Society of America said in a Tuesday statement, “unfounded claims about the ‘cause’ and ‘treatment’ of Autism were presented.”
“Announcing a cause or treatment without rigorous, replicated science undermines trust and distracts from critical work needed for the Autism Community,” said the Autism Society of America’s board of directors. “What Autistic individuals and their caregivers need are expanded services, inclusive policies, and research that helps improve quality of life.”
Carley Marissa Dummitt is the engagement manager for the Autism Foundation of Oklahoma. The nonprofit’s mission is to “improve the lives of Oklahomans with autism and their families across the lifespan,” Dummitt said the group accomplishes that by focusing on education, advocacy and inclusion, with programs that hone in on things like children and youth, and transition and employment.
In response to the Trump administration’s announcement, Dummitt said a person having autism is not something that should be blamed on parents.
“Do you love your child any less? I mean, children are a blessing that a lot of people, they want,” Dummitt said. “It's not the fault of what a parent did or did not do. And every caregiver's story is valid.”
As an autistic person, Dummitt said othering is something many people on the spectrum encounter. She said she was bullied as a child for being different, and that bullying can have severe consequences.
“I just think it's important that we also highlight these things that are not often talked about when we're talking about autism,” Dummitt said. “Because, one way that we can improve people's lives and really help everyone understand autism is by talking about all of the things that go along with autism, not just theories on why we have it.”
As autism is discussed at a national level, she said she would like to see people focus more on shattering stigma.
“The power of seeing someone and being seen, I think, is very underrated. I think we take it for granted. I think the people who are not able to put themselves in the shoes of other people should try it, because inclusion happens on the smallest scale and it happens on the largest scale,” Dummitt said. “And I think inclusion is something we should be focused on while we're having these conversations.”
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