Linking Tylenol to autism is not backed by science

I can’t not post something given the announcement from the US president yesterday. But I also don’t need to write anything new. There are an abundance of good news articles out already in response to the unfounded claim that taking Tylenol while pregnant can result in a child developing Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Here are a couple:

Trump links autism to Tylenol and vaccines, claims not backed by science

Trump rails against Tylenol but autism claims not supported by science

The second one also addresses how this is part of a bigger movement to promote “going natural” even when science has developed treatments that, for example, prevent us from dying from a basic cut. I sometimes joke about better living through chemistry but the reality is that medications including vaccines have saved countless lives. We do live better through chemistry.

As a final note, there are many different factors that impact the development of autism spectrum disorder. It is not linked to any one cause. Also, it is not something to be solved. Nobody is at fault. Please follow the recommendations of actual medical professionals and ignore advice given by politicians with an agenda.