Trump, Kennedy push unverified claim of Amish autism immunity amid Tylenol contention

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. used a Monday press briefing to repeat a long-standing claim that certain groups are 'immune' to autism, arguing that some communities, including the Amish, see no diagnoses for the developmental condition. They tied rising autism rates to the use of acetaminophen, commonly known as Tylenol, in pregnancy and urged listeners to consider avoiding the drug.

Trump said: 'And by the way, I think I can say that there are certain groups of people that don't take vaccines and don't take any pills, that have no autism. See, Bobby wants to be very careful with what he says, and he should, but I'm not so careful with what I say, but you have certain groups, the Amish, as an example.' Kennedy Jr. echoed the point during the briefing, presenting Amish communities as a case study in avoidance of diagnoses while linking medications to autism risk.

Experts quickly pushed back, stressing that there is no credible scientific basis for any population being immune to autism. Autism is understood as a complex neurodevelopmental condition with a strong genetic component and multiple potential environmental triggers. There is no verified evidence that vaccines or common medicines shield a group from autism or prevent diagnoses across an entire population.

Amish communities can show lower documented rates of autism than the broader U.S. population, but researchers caution that the difference may reflect under-diagnosis or cultural factors rather than true immunity. A 2010 study conducted through door-to-door screening in two large Amish regions found a preliminary rate of about 1 in 271 Amish children. Investigators noted that standard diagnostic interviews might be less effective in Amish families, and that behaviors viewed as quirks within a tight-knit community could be less likely to prompt a formal diagnosis.

Many autism experts emphasize that the condition can and does occur in Amish communities, and that genetic factors are present across all populations. The broader U.S. rate remains higher than what has been documented in some Amish areas, in part because of greater access to education, screening, and health services that lead to more diagnoses. Officials cite that roughly one in 31 American children is diagnosed with autism, a rate that has risen over the past two decades largely due to increased awareness and screening rather than vaccines or acetaminophen use.

Despite decades of research, scientists have not established a causal link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism. The briefing’s call to avoid Tylenol drew skepticism from medical professionals who note that evidence remains inconclusive and that fever management during pregnancy is a balancing act with its own risks.

Some experts also pointed out that cultural and religious factors can influence how families engage with medical services. In Amish communities, many health decisions are managed within the family and church networks, and formal neurodevelopmental assessments may be less common than in more medically integrated populations. Still, the consensus remains that no group is immune to autism, and mischaracterizing population-level risk can hinder public health efforts.