KEY POINTS: President Trump recently falsely asserted that Tylenol during pregnancy is related to autism. This is particularly dangerous misinformation because untreated fevers have been linked with autism. The media has been countering this lie, often in ways that match the psychological science on how to do so. Countering misinformation, especially in advance where possible, can help inoculate us against it.
EXCERPT: . . . untreated fever during pregnancy is a known risk factor for autism and other neurodevelopmental issues. Ironically, acetaminophen is one of the few options available to pregnant patients seeking treatment for fever and pain. These health officials warn that it is dangerous to discourage the primary safe treatment for fever. As Spain’s health minister stated, “Denialism not only destroys trust in science: it puts lives at risk.”
Guidance from physicians and their professional organizations echo this advice. The president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said in a statement this week, “Maternal fever, headaches as an early sign of preeclampsia, and pain are all managed with the therapeutic use of acetaminophen, making acetaminophen essential to the people who need it.
The conditions people use acetaminophen to treat during pregnancy are far more dangerous than any theoretical risks and can create severe morbidity and mortality for the pregnant person and the fetus.” The experts encourage everyone to consult healthcare providers and follow established medical guidelines... (MORE - missing details)
I believe just listening to RFK jr's voice can cause autism. I have no studies to support it, but I DO feel a little more autistic whenever I hear him.
Calling it a lie, when there are many studies that verify the association, would seem to be transparent politicization.
Pregnant women should probably prioritize treating the underlying infection that causes fever, instead of being quick to medicate the symptom.
KEY POINTS: President Trump recently falsely asserted that Tylenol during pregnancy is related to autism.
"Based on available data that include approximately 20 lines of evidence from studies in laboratory animal models, observations in humans, correlations in time, and pharmacological/toxicological considerations, it has been concluded without reasonable doubt and with no evidence to the contrary that exposure of susceptible babies and children to acetaminophen (paracetamol) induces many, if not most, cases of autism spectrum disorder (ASD)..."
"The available evidence suggests a possible association between prenatal exposure to paracetamol and an increased risk of neurodevelopmental, atopic and reproductive adverse outcomes. This is supported by the current knowledge of paracetamol’s mechanism of action and biologic plausibility...
...Until further data are available, the currently existing information needs to be investigated by the safety advisory committees of drug-regulatory agencies so that timely and appropriate labeling updates can be made and accessed by consumers and healthcare providers."
"This study finds that postnatal acetaminophen measured in doses consumed before age two is associated with ASD risk in male children (aOR 1.023, CI 1.005–1.043, p = 0.020 *). If this data set is representative, then the PAF for postnatal acetaminophen is approximately 40% of the risk of ASD among males in the US...
...While it is possible that the association between postnatal acetaminophen and ASD in males is not causative, this study shows that if the association is causative, the contribution to risk in aggregate from this variable may be a substantial portion of the risk of ASD.
Quote:This is particularly dangerous misinformation because untreated fevers have been linked with autism.
Was the link between autism and fevers, between autism and the drugs used to treat the fevers, or between autism and whatever the underlying cause of the fever might have been?
Quote:The media has been countering this lie, often in ways that match the psychological science on how to do so.
Lies are intentionally and knowingly making false assertions. Does the author of CC's text have any evidence that anyone is making assertions knowing them to be false? Or, for that matter, any evidence that the assertions are actually false? The assumptions implicit in the charge of lying need to be made explicit and defended.
Is it really consistent with "psychological science" to make unsubstantiated and almost certainly false allegations of lying? (Actually, I suspect that it might be, which is one reason why the "pop psychology" found in the pages of Psychology Today might not be entirely credible.)
Quote:Countering misinformation, especially in advance where possible, can help inoculate us against it.
Elementary critical thinking would suggest that the allegation of "misinformation" needs to be supported. The mere fact that the author probably doesn't like President Trump isn't sufficient and would only be evidence of bias.
I'll add my own comment that some of the evidence of correlation between acetominophen and ASD concerns prenatal exposure during pregnancy, and some of it concerns postnatal exposure to babies. (Babies are often dosed with acetominophen). It appears that while a the quantity of evidence about postnatal exposures is less than researchers might like, the evidence indicates that this might be the period of greatest susceptibility to neurological damage. More work needs to be urgently done on this.
This subject must not be dismissed with shouts of "misinformation" purely for political motives, like we saw so often regarding COVID (much of the ostensible "misinformation" was subsequently shown to be very likely true). It needs to be followed up, and care needs to be taken by parents and physicians while it is. Keep acetominophen use to a minimum during pregnancy and for babies under the age of two, and use the smallest reasonable dose only when there's a medical reason for it.
Study reveals no causal link between neurodevelopmental disorders and acetaminophen exposure before birth
NIH-funded research in siblings finds previously reported connection is likely due to other underlying factors.
"Acetaminophen exposure during pregnancy is not linked to the risk of developing autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability, according to a new study of data from more than 2 million children in Sweden. The collaborative research effort by Swedish and American investigators, which appears in JAMA, is the largest of its kind and was funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Scientists compared siblings — who share genetics and other variables such as parental health, environmental exposures, and socioeconomic factors — and were able to limit the influence of other potential risk factors. This allowed them to focus specifically on, and eliminate, the risk associated with acetaminophen. The study design was unique due to the size of the population captured in the Swedish Medical Birth Register and the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register. Before siblings were considered, there appeared to be a small increase in risk for neurodevelopmental disorders in children exposed to acetaminophen, which was noted in previous studies.
Acetaminophen is commonly used as a pain reliever and fever reducer and is found in a variety of medicines available over the counter and via prescription. It is often taken during pregnancy instead of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, known as NSAIDs, which can cause low levels of amniotic fluid, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The reasons pregnant people might take acetaminophen, including fever, or conditions such as chronic migraine, could be, and in some cases are, associated with an increased risk for later neurodevelopmental disorders following pregnancy.
One limitation of this study is that it relies on data from prescribed acetaminophen and from self-reporting from pregnant people during prenatal care. It may not capture all use or dosage in all people, particularly over-the-counter medicines. However, the number of patients included in the study sample and the ability to control for many other confounding factors support the conclusion that acetaminophen is not directly linked to an increase link of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability.
To inform best preventative strategies, additional research is required to fully understand the genetic and non-genetic factors that increase the risk of autism, ADHD, and intellectual disability.
"Frequent or prolonged acetaminophen use during pregnancy has been found in several large observational studies to be associated with higher rates of neurodevelopmental disorders in children. But experts emphasize that those observational studies don’t definitively prove that frequent Tylenol use during pregnancy causes autism. Underlying illness or genetic predisposition could also play a role in the development of autism. Until more definitive research is published, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the CDC continue to recommend acetaminophen as the safest over-the-counter pain reliever for pregnant women."
Sep 28, 2025 08:40 PM
(This post was last modified: Sep 28, 2025 08:40 PM by C C.)
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