Even Republican physicians are calling out President Donald Trump’s wild claims about autism and a common over-the-counter medication.
Trump backed his anti-vax health chief, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and confidently ranted to the world’s media about the perceived dangers of the painkiller Tylenol, linking it to autism.
“With Tylenol, don’t take it. Don’t take it,” Trump insisted in a jaw-dropping presser, where he also went wildly off-script and made several spurious claims about Cubans and the Amish.
Trump, 79, said the administration had found links between autism and Tylenol use by pregnant women, but the controversial new advice has not been picked up by international agencies, notably the World Health Organization.
U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, whose support was pivotal at RFK Jr.’s confirmation as Secretary of Health and Human Services, has contradicted the president, urging him and Bobby Jr. to show their work.
Writing on X, the licensed physician wrote, “I understand and applaud President Trump’s desire to address this issue and to support HHS. HHS should release the new data that it has to support this claim. The preponderance of evidence shows that this is not the case.”
Trump and RFK Jr. have urged pregnant women to ditch the drug, despite Tylenol being the most commonly recommended pain reliever for pregnant women for decades.
Cassidy added, “The concern is that women will be left with no options to manage pain in pregnancy. We must be compassionate to this problem.”
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has said that the drug, used to treat fever and mild to moderate pain, is one of the only safe pain relievers for pregnant women. But Trump and his health experts insist its active ingredient—acetaminophen—is linked to “skyrocketing rates of autism.”
The White House alleged on Monday, “FACT: Evidence suggests acetaminophen use in pregnant women, especially late in pregnancy, may cause long-term neurological effects in their children.”
The maker of Tylenol has pointed to the science clearly showing that acetaminophen does not cause autism. “We strongly disagree with any suggestion otherwise,” Kenvue said.
The Autism Science Foundation said it was “deeply concerned” about Trump’s remarks, characterizing his ranting as “dangerous.”
Ann Bauer, a researcher who studies Tylenol and autism whose research was cited by the White House, told KFF Health News that her message was being misrepresented by the MAHA movement.
She said she is “sick to my stomach” that Kennedy would link her work to discredited theories about autism.
Cassidy, meanwhile, has previously called the link between Tylenol and autism “bogus,” during a September 6 interview.
The post Republican Physician Immediately Trashes Trump’s Autism Claim appeared first on The Daily Beast.
