Dr. Christopher Labos provides his insight on the report of the Trump administration linking Tylenol to autism.
WASHINGTON – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday there was a link between the use of popular over-the-counter pain medication Tylenol and the development of autism during pregnancy, a claim which many doctors dispute.
Trump also suggested leucovorin, a form of folic acid, as a treatment for autism symptoms during a White House event. The Food and Drug Administration published a notice to the Federal Register ahead of his speech, approving a version of the drug made by GSK it had previously withdrawn. The FDA approved the drug for a condition it associated with autism.
The FDA cited a review of the use of leucovorin in 40 patients with a rare metabolic disorder called cerebral folate deficiency that can lead to a range of neurological symptoms, some of which are seen in people with autism.
The FDA will be notifying doctors that using Tylenol during pregnancy can be associated with a very increased risk of autism, Trump said, without presenting evidence for the claim.
“Taking Tylenol is not good. I’ll say it. Not good,” he said. “You shouldn’t give the child a Tylenol every time he gets a shot,” he added.
Researchers say there is no firm evidence of a link between the use of Tylenol and autism. They say leucovorin, used to treat some cancer patients on chemotherapy, has shown some promise in very small trials, but that large, randomized trials are still needed.
Tylenol is made by consumer health company Kenvue, which was spun off from Johnson & Johnson in 2023, and generic versions of acetaminophen are also available. The company said on Monday it disagreed with the suggestion of a link which it said was not based in science.
Reporting by Michael Erman in New York, Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago, and Ahmed Aboulenein in Washington; Additional reporting by Nandita Bose, Jeff Mason, and Trevor Hunnicutt in Washington, Nancy Lapid in Tucson, and Sriparna Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Caroline Humer.