TUESDAY, Sept. 23, 2025 (HealthDay News) — President Donald Trump on Monday linked autism to acetaminophen use in pregnancy and vaccines — claims that scientists say are not supported by evidence.
Trump said women should avoid Tylenol “during the entire pregnancy.” He added that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would begin warning doctors that acetaminophen “can be associated” with autism.
No new medical data was presented to back up the claim.
Trump also questioned the role of vaccines in rising autism rates, echoing long-standing — and debunked — claims by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 31 U.S. 8-year-olds is now diagnosed with autism.
At Trump’s urging, Kennedy announced an “all-agency” initiative to search for possible causes of autism. The initiative is to involve the CDC, National Institutes of Health, FDA, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Experts, however, note that autism diagnoses have risen mainly because the definition of autism has expanded to include milder cases and because awareness of the condition has grown, The Associated Press reported.
Researchers emphasize that autism has no single cause.
Instead, decades of studies suggest both genetic and environmental factors play a role. Experts warn that claims about Tylenol or vaccines could weaken people’s trust in proven medical advice.
Trump previewed his announcement the night before, telling reporters, “I think we found an answer to autism," The Associated Press said.
Experts say these types of statements oversell what any administration could deliver in its first year and that much more research is needed to understand how autism develops.
Outside organizations quickly pushed back against the administration’s claims.
The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine said in a statement Monday that "acetaminophen is an appropriate medication to treat pain and fever during pregnancy."
The group noted that while some studies have suggested possible associations with autism or ADHD, none has proven a causal relationship.
"All of the studies to date, including the most recent research, have significant methodological and design limitations and do not clearly establish the link between acetaminophen and childhood neurobehavioral issues," the group said.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) also criticized the announcement.
“Today’s White House event on autism was filled with dangerous claims and misleading information that sends a confusing message to parents and expecting parents and does a disservice to autistic individuals,” AAP President Dr. Susan Kressly said in a statement.
"Studies have repeatedly found no credible link between life-saving childhood vaccines and autism. This research, in many countries, involving thousands of individuals, has spanned multiple decades. Any effort to misrepresent sound, strong science poses a threat to the health of children," she added.
The announcement comes as Kennedy continues to push changes at public health agencies, including altering vaccine recommendations and replacing long-standing advisory panels with vaccine critics.
More information
The Mayo Clinic has more on autism.
SOURCE: The Associated Press, Sept. 22, 2025