The Abridged version:
- President Donald Trump suggested a connection between autism and taking Tylenol while pregnant.
- There is no single cause for autism, according to the MIND Institute in Sacramento, and current research into Tylenol’s effects is “conflicted.”
- Pregnant women who are concerned are advised to consult with their local doctors.
Sacramento-area experts are pushing back against President Donald Trump’s controversial comments linking autism and acetaminophen, commonly known as Tylenol.
Trump, during a press conference on Monday, encouraged pregnant women to avoid taking the drug.
“Don’t take Tylenol, don’t take it. Fight like hell not to take it,” Trump said from behind the White House podium, flanked by his administration’s top health officials, Robert F. Kennedy and Mehmet Oz.
Several researchers and medical experts from around the world have criticized the claims, saying there is not enough evidence to support a direct connection.
In Sacramento, the University of California, Davis, MIND Insitute, a leading center for autism research, released a statement Tuesday countering the president’s statements.
“These are facts that we can share,” the organization said, including, “Autism has no single known cause; the latest research shows both genetics and the environment play roles.”
‘Get the local advice’
David Amaral, a professor and director of research at the MIND Institute, said he was disappointed by the press conference and concerned about the potential spread of misinformation.
“I think that what was presented as fact is still open to question and open to additional research,” Amaral said.
In the past, Amaral said mothers have received an inordinate amount of blame for their child’s autism diagnosis. He’s concerned the president’s recent remarks could refuel such a trend.
“Families that have an autistic child, the mom’s going to say, ‘Well, did my taking Tylenol during my pregnancy cause my child to be autistic?’” Amaral said. “I think the evidence for that is so slim that it shouldn’t even be considered. It shouldn’t be a worry.”
And for anyone currently pregnant and now worried about taking Tylenol to ease their pain or fevers, Amaral said they should consult their doctors.
“Get the local advice,” he said. “By and large I think the local doctors will have different advice than we were hearing from the administration.”
“Don’t take what the administration said as gospel,” Amaral added.
Current research shows no one clear cause for autism
While some studies have shown an association between acetaminophen and autism, Amaral stressed that does not equal causation.
“It’s a conflicted literature at the moment,” Amaral said.
Because Tylenol is used so commonly by many people, including those who are pregnant, experts say it can be difficult to connect the drug with an effect, like an autism diagnosis.
“That’s like saying in the summertime, people eat more ice cream, and in the summertime, there is more violent crime,” Sanjay Gupta, neurosurgeon and medical correspondent, said on CNN earlier this month. “Both those things happen. They are associated, but obviously there’s no cause-and-effect relationship here.”
Amaral said he felt there was a “lack of appreciation” Monday for the researchers across the country and world who have spent decades investigating autism and its causes.
“That huge, gigantic opus of work has just been discounted by this health secretary and by this administration,” Amaral said. “I find that unpalatable.”
Savannah Kuchar is a reporter covering education. She came to Sacramento to be a part of the Abridged team and contribute to a crucial local news source.