Washington, D.C. — Today, President Donald Trump made an announcement from the White House claiming that autism is linked to the use of Tylenol during pregnancy. He was joined by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
In response, Mia Ives-Rublee, senior director for the Disability Justice Initiative at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
RFK Jr. has a long history of promoting false or unsubstantiated health claims and harmful theories about autism that have been debunked by doctors, scientists, and advocates who have experienced or studied it for years. Today’s announcement attributes autism to the use of Tylenol during pregnancy based on distorted “science” and false claims. This will likely lead to blaming parents if their children are diagnosed with autism and discouraging the safe use of medication to appropriately manage pain and fever during pregnancy.
In addition, RFK Jr. and Trump’s focus on “curing” autism—a natural part of human diversity—is offensive, inaccurate, and stigmatizing. This administration’s approach derails efforts to provide autistic people the services and support they may need.
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Mishka Espey at [email protected].