On Covid and Autism, Trump Strays From the Science

President Trump could not have been more emphatic.

“Don’t take Tylenol. Don’t take it. Fight like hell not to take it,” he said from the White House on Monday, issuing a warning to pregnant women based on an unproven link between the medication and autism.

When a reporter remarked that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists disagreed with his assessment, Mr. Trump said: “You know what? Maybe they’re right. I don’t think they are.”

Dating back to his first term, when he mused about injecting bleach to kill off the coronavirus, Mr. Trump has used his position of authority to dole out medical advice, some of it deeply flawed. He often strays from the scientific consensus, seeking out individuals who will confirm his own hunches. Or he will elevate people recommending unproven treatments that they promise will make a problem go away quickly.

On Monday, Mr. Trump seemed to be in the driver’s seat, celebrating the announcement and going even further than guidance issued by the Food and Drug Administration. The agency did not unequivocally state that pregnant women should not take Tylenol but rather that health care providers should consider the risks and discuss them with their patients.

For years, scientists have studied a possible link between pregnant mothers’ use of acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, and neurological conditions like autism. Some studies suggest a link; others do not. None have found proof of a causal relationship.

“One of the things that puts health care providers and public health experts at a disadvantage in messaging is that we do communicate with nuance, and we don’t always have simple answers,” said Dr. Céline Gounder, an infectious disease specialist and editor at large for public health at KFF Health News.