On Monday, September 22, President Trump and his administration said the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would be updating drug labels to discourage the use of acetaminophen by pregnant women, and suggested a link between autism and the common treatment for pain and fever. President Trump placed the blame for rising autism rates onto acetaminophen, also known by the brand name Tylenol.
These statements, coupled with other recent statements from the Trump administration about vaccines being linked to autism are not factual or backed up by credible evidence. Neither vaccines nor acetaminophen use in pregnancy have been credibly linked to autism. Such irresponsible claims are unfounded and have been repeatedly refuted by rigorous studies.
What the Trump administration is doing will discourage pregnant women from treating pain and fever and do so based on no reputable science. WAFP will continue to push back against efforts that limit your ability to care for your patients and practice medicine according to the best available evidence
The AAFP has also been fighting back against claims of autism being caused by vaccines. Read their full statement here.
Erin Morcomb, MD, FAAFP
WAFP President
