President Trump and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are anticipated to make remarks on a purported hyperlink between Tylenol and autism, and suggest a most cancers drug as an answer.
: [POST-BROADCAST CORRECTION Sept. 23, 2025: A previous version of this story misstated the number of children diagnosed with autism as 1 in 3. The correct number is 1 in 31, or about 3%.]
AILSA CHANG, HOST:
Throughout a White Home press convention right now, President Trump introduced that federal well being officers would discourage pregnant ladies from taking the ache drug acetaminophen, which is the energetic ingredient in Tylenol. He mentioned the drug might enhance a baby’s danger of growing autism.
(SOUNDBITE OF PRESS CONFERENCE)
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: So taking Tylenol is just not good. All proper, I will say it. It isn’t good. Because of this, they’re strongly recommending that ladies restrict Tylenol use throughout being pregnant except medically essential.
CHANG: Trump additionally mentioned the Meals and Drug Administration would change the label of a most cancers drug to encourage its use as a therapy for autism. Right here to speak about all of that is NPR science correspondent Jon Hamilton. Hello, Jon.
JON HAMILTON, BYLINE: Howdy.
CHANG: OK, so what was the scene like on the White Home for this announcement?
HAMILTON: Trump, after all, did many of the speaking, however he was flanked by Well being and Human Companies Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Dr. Mehmet Oz, who oversees Medicare and Medicaid. These males largely nodded in settlement. Trump additionally took this actually lengthy detour to speak concerning the risks of childhood vaccines, which he has additionally advised may cause autism. However ultimately, he bought round to asserting his newest plan to cut back the charges of autism and that plan entails discouraging use of acetaminophen, whereas encouraging use of a most cancers drug referred to as folinic acid or leucovorin.
CHANG: OK, let’s discuss first about acetaminophen as a result of I assumed medical doctors say it is the most secure ache drug to take throughout being pregnant. Is there any scientific proof linking it to autism?
HAMILTON: There is no such thing as a good proof that it causes autism, however there are some research which have discovered an affiliation – in different phrases, that ladies who reported taking acetaminophen whereas they had been pregnant gave the impression to be a bit extra prone to have a baby who was later identified with autism. Earlier than the press convention, I spoke with an creator of a type of research, Ann Bauer. She’s an epidemiologist on the College of Massachusetts who thinks pregnant ladies ought to be informed about attainable danger from acetaminophen, however Bauer additionally was nervous that it is perhaps too quickly to have the federal authorities providing steerage on its use.
ANN BAUER: I am a bit involved about how this message goes to come back out as a result of I feel they might be leaping the gun. I feel these of us within the analysis neighborhood wish to see stronger proof.
CHANG: Effectively, what sort of proof would she wish to see?
HAMILTON: The present proof in folks is generally within the type of affiliation research, which may’t present trigger and impact. They’re not like a medical trial, which has some individuals obtain a drug, and others do not. And most scientists have been fairly skeptical about going from an affiliation research to alter in coverage. In addition they say {that a} drug or different environmental trigger could be very unlikely to elucidate a lot a couple of dysfunction that’s so extremely genetic.
JONATHAN SABAT: We all know now that there are 100 or extra autism genes. And I might say that the newest research of acetaminophen counsel that the genetic elements are fairly robust on this case.
HAMILTON: That was Jonathan Sabat, a professor of psychiatry on the College of California San Diego. And Sabat says genetics are by far the strongest danger issue for autism. He additionally says research that attempt to account for these genetic elements, like the big Swedish research that was executed lately, they don’t discover a hyperlink between autism and acetaminophen. Sabat additionally notes that taking acetaminophen throughout being pregnant can imply {that a} girl has well being issues that trigger ache, well being issues that additionally may enhance the danger of autism.
CHANG: And actual fast, Jon, what about this type of vitamin B that they talked about? Might it’s helpful as a therapy?
HAMILTON: A scientific case for that’s fairly weak. It is usually prescribed to sufferers present process most cancers chemotherapy. It does assist the physique produce folate, however it’s not clear that folate is missing in folks with autism.
CHANG: That’s NPR’s Jon Hamilton. Thanks a lot, Jon.
HAMILTON: You are welcome.
Copyright © 2025 NPR. All rights reserved. Go to our web site phrases of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for additional data.
Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts might range. Transcript textual content could also be revised to right errors or match updates to audio. Audio on npr.org could also be edited after its unique broadcast or publication. The authoritative file of NPR’s programming is the audio file.
