- The Trump administration drew an unproven link between autism and pregnant women’s use of acetaminophen, the active ingredient in one of the world’s most common over-the-counter pain relievers, Kenvue’s Tylenol.
- Officials warned pregnant women against using acetaminophen early on unless they have a fever, and touted a lesser-known drug, leucovorin, as a potential treatment for symptoms of autism.
- The bulk of scientific literature suggests no causal link between autism and exposure to acetaminophen in the womb, and Tylenol is widely considered the safest treatment for pain and fever during pregnancy.
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/22/trump-autism-tylenol-acetaminophen-pregnancy.html
The findings underscore what scientists have long said: autism doesn’t have a single cause. Genetics, timing and environment all interact, Hornig said, citing factors such as parental age gaps, exposure to wildfire smoke and heavy metals, seasonal immune shifts and infections that trigger fever.
“The idea that it’s going to be a singular cause is really kind of foolhardy, and it doesn’t go along with the things that we know,” she said.
Hornig also urged more precision in research. Common genetic differences in enzymes that help break down acetaminophen may influence how safely a pregnant woman can metabolize the drug. Some labs are testing newborns’ meconium for toxic byproducts of acetaminophen metabolism — a potential biomarker that could guide safer choices in the future.