Trump blames Tylenol for autism surge

REMARK SPARKS FDA WARNING AND POLITICAL AND MEDICAL FIRESTORM

- BY JAY HILOTIN Senior Assistant Editor

US President Donald Trump has ignited a political and medical firestorm by blaming Tylenol, one of the most widely used painkillers, for what he called America's "autism epidemic.

The remarks, made at a White House press conference alongside Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have drawn sharp criticism from doctors, scientists, and patient advocates.

Trump urged pregnant women, "Don't take Tylenol," claiming communities without access to it have "no autism." His comments come as autism diagnoses have risen nearly 400 per cent since 2000, now affecting about one in 31 US children. Experts attribute the increase largely to improved screening and broader diagnostic criteria, not to a single environmental trigger.

'Misleading and risky'

The FDA announced plans to add a warning label to acetaminophen products, citing cohort studies suggesting a possible association with autism and ADHD. But the agency stressed: "A causal relationship has not been established, and there are contrary studies."