Trump unveils Tylenol-autism claims, calls for vaccine-schedule overhaul in major health shake-up

President Donald Trump on Monday announced what he described as an unprecedented shift in U.S. medical guidance, linking the rise in autism to potential causal factors and directing an immediate review of guidance on acetaminophen use in pregnancy. The White House said the FDA will instruct physicians to tell pregnant patients to avoid Tylenol unless medically necessary, such as for extremely high fevers. The move is part of a broader push to reframe what the administration says is a failing or outdated medical advisory landscape.

Trump, speaking at a press conference alongside Robert F. Kennedy Jr., criticized the nation’s vaccine schedule as “disgraceful” and argued that autism rates have risen to crisis levels that demand drastic action. He cited a claimed 400 percent increase in autism over recent decades and urged parents to resist Tylenol for themselves and their children unless essential. He said, “Fight like hell not to take it,” and pressed for changes to the guidelines while noting results of a federal review led by the health secretary. The administration framed the release of those results as a turning point in addressing what it described as a biomedical crisis.

The core claim at the center of the briefing concerns acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol. Acetaminophen is widely used by pregnant women to reduce fever and pain, and major medical organizations continue to deem it safe when used as directed and after consulting a physician. The notes circulated by the administration say there is “evidence we cannot ignore” that acetaminophen could affect fetal brain development, but the broader medical literature has not established a clear causal link, and health authorities have historically recommended careful use rather than complete avoidance. Tylenol’s manufacturer pushed back, saying independent science shows no link between acetaminophen and autism and stressing that acetaminophen remains the safest pain-relief option for pregnant women when it is medically necessary.

In addition to the Tylenol discussion, Trump praised the CDC’s latest move to stop recommending the combined MMR and varicella vaccine and urged Americans to break up the vaccine into three separate shots, arguing that mixing them “could be a problem.” The remarks underscored the administration’s stance that current vaccination schedules warrant reevaluation, though public health authorities have long defended the safety and efficacy of the combined vaccine.

Kennedy, for his part, highlighted leucovorin (folinic acid) as a potential path forward in addressing autism. He said the $2.50-per-pill drug has shown promise in improving certain functions for some autistic children. The notes describe leucovorin as a folic acid derivative that may help repair neural pathways and note that some doctors prescribe it off-label for autism with reported improvements in speech and behavior. Critics caution that research on leucovorin and autism is mixed, and medical consensus has not established a standard practice for its use in autistic patients. The notes say doctors who study the link tell the Daily Mail that the administration’s focus on leucovorin offers hope to families, while cautioning that more work is needed to determine its role.

The administration also cited increased funding for autism research. NIH head Dr. Jay Bhattacharya reportedly announced an additional $50 million to study the causes of autism, emphasizing urgency in pursuing answers. Experts outside the administration say rising autism diagnoses are influenced by broader definitions and improved detection, though some researchers continue to explore environmental factors, parental age, obesity, and other potential contributors. The notes acknowledge that much remains uncertain and that the scientific community will continue to investigate multiple potential causes.

The White House push included rebuttals from major stakeholders. A spokesperson for Kenvue, the maker of Tylenol, stated that the company believes independent, sound science shows acetaminophen does not cause autism and stressed that acetaminophen is the safest option for pregnant women when needed, while acknowledging the importance of ongoing research. Medical groups and independent experts urged caution, noting that many studies have failed to establish a causal link between acetaminophen use in pregnancy and autism and emphasizing that public health guidance should be guided by rigorous, peer-reviewed evidence.

The dialogue over autism remains deeply polarized. The briefing reiterated one of the central statistics cited by advocates and researchers: estimates have shown autism affects a growing share of the population, with some calculations put at about one in 31 children in recent years, compared with roughly one in 150 in 2000. Experts say that shifts in diagnostic criteria and enhanced screening contribute significantly to apparent increases, though not all agree on the magnitude or drivers of the trend. Critics of the administration’s approach argue that conflating long-standing safety guidance with policy changes risks conflating scientific uncertainty with policy action and could undermine trust in public health institutions.

Amid the debate, some commentators have repeated claims that autism rates are driven by factors beyond vaccines or medications, while others call for more targeted research into how genetic, environmental, and developmental factors interact over time. The notes include a cross-section of voices, from clinicians who have treated autistic children with various therapies to researchers who caution against drawing conclusions from early or limited data. They also reference ongoing discussions about the role of folate transport and brain development, suggesting a potential intersection of nutrition and neurodevelopment that warrants further study.

Public health officials cautioned that until there is robust, consensus-backed evidence, major policy shifts should proceed carefully. The administration’s statements reflect an ongoing effort to reframe the autism debate around prevention, early intervention, and the broader determinants of neurodevelopment, even as medical organizations emphasize the primacy of evidence-based guidelines.