Trump's autism claims and Tylenol-vaccine debate draw health-expert condemnation

President Donald Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. promoted unverified claims at a White House news conference, arguing that the painkiller Tylenol (paracetamol) is linked to autism and suggesting doctors should be advised not to prescribe the drug to pregnant women. The remarks drew swift condemnation from medical groups and public health experts, who said there was no reliable data to support such links and warned that altering treatment guidance could harm pregnant people and children.

Trump also offered a series of statistics about autism diagnoses, claiming rates had surged dramatically over the past two decades. He asserted that incidence had risen from about one in 10,000 roughly 18 years ago to one in 31 by 2025. Health researchers noted that while CDC data show autism diagnoses have risen since the mid-2000s, the increase has not matched the dramatic trajectory Trump described. The most recent CDC snapshot, based on eight-year-olds in 2022 across 16 states, shows a higher rate than in the past, but not to the degree implied by his figure. The agency also reported that California had the highest rate among boys in 2022—about one in 12 eight-year-old boys in the state—though the CDC cautioned that local screening initiatives may influence identification rates.

Experts stress that most of the rise in autism diagnoses over the past two decades is attributed to changes in diagnostic criteria, expanded awareness, and greater access to testing rather than a single environmental trigger. Trump also referenced comparisons with other groups and locations, including the Amish and Cuba, without presenting evidence linking those cases to Tylenol use or to autism rates.

On vaccines, Trump claimed that the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine should be given separately rather than as a combined shot, arguing that “when you mix them, there could be a problem.” Public-health experts and medical professional groups immediately pushed back, saying there is no evidence that the MMR vaccine causes autism and that separating the doses would not reduce risk and could delay protection against preventable diseases. They warned that delaying or splitting vaccines could contribute to outbreaks, including measles, which has re-emerged in recent years. The discredited claim that vaccines cause autism first gained broad attention after a 1998 Lancet paper by Andrew Wakefield. The study was retracted, Wakefield was stripped of his medical license, and extensive research since then has found no link between MMR and autism. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to recommend two doses of MMR for children, with the first dose at 12–15 months and the second at four–six years. The UK’s National Autistic Society and other health groups have stressed that public health guidance remains evidence-based, and separating vaccines would be experimental and potentially dangerous by diminishing overall protection. David Elliman, an associate professor of children’s health at University College London, said there is no credible evidence supporting a link between the current immunisation schedule and autism, and that delaying vaccination could leave children vulnerable to outbreaks.

The White House appearance also touched on the long-standing discussion about autism prevalence in different communities. Trump cited the Amish as a group with “virtually no autism,” suggesting lower Tylenol use may explain a reduced rate. Researchers cautioned that such conclusions are not supported by robust population data; Amish populations are small and data on autism prevalence are limited, making reliable comparisons difficult. A 2010 study found autism in Amish children in two large communities, but it involved a relatively small sample and did not establish a protective relationship with Tylenol use. Eva Loth, a cognitive neuroscience expert at King’s College London, told BBC Verify that reporting may be affected by diagnostic access and participation, and that the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

Trump also pointed to Cuba as another comparison, suggesting low Tylenol availability might correlate with lower autism rates. There is no officially published Cuban autism statistic widely available, and the World Health Organization has noted that prevalence data for autism in many low- and middle-income countries remains unknown. Public-health experts caution against drawing conclusions from such unverified comparisons, especially in contexts where data collection varies significantly.

The discussion of autism and vaccines has shadowed Trump’s public statements on health since his 2016 campaign. He has intermittently raised concerns about rising autism rates for about two decades and has expressed interest in Kennedy’s vaccine-safety work at various points. Kennedy’s affiliation with a vaccine-safety task force during Trump’s 2016–2017 transition period drew scrutiny and debate. While the administration did oversee vaccine campaigns, including the rapid development and deployment of COVID-19 vaccines, the overall scientific consensus remains that vaccines do not cause autism and that maintaining high vaccination coverage protects public health.

The conversation continues as health officials emphasize relying on peer-reviewed evidence and established vaccination schedules to protect children and communities from preventable diseases. In the meantime, public-health groups reiterate that misinformation can undermine immunisation programs and increase the risk of outbreaks that jeopardize both unvaccinated individuals and broader population health.

The debate arrives amid ongoing public-health challenges. This year has seen a notable uptick in measles cases in the United States, underscoring the consequences of vaccine hesitancy and misinformation. The CDC has reported 1,491 confirmed measles cases so far this year, with several fatalities linked to outbreaks in communities with lower vaccination coverage. Public-health officials stress that robust, evidence-based vaccination remains the most effective defense against such diseases and that unfounded claims risk reversing progress toward protecting vulnerable populations.

Ultimately, health experts say the best course of action for individuals is to follow guidance from clinicians and established guidelines from trusted health agencies. They warn that unsupported claims—whether about autism, Tylenol, or vaccine schedules—can erode confidence in proven medical practices and endanger public health efforts that rely on high vaccination rates and early diagnosis and intervention for autism and related conditions.