Arizona representatives offered contrasting responses to the White House announcement linking acetaminophen use during pregnancy to autism risk, highlighting rising debates over federal health policy.
President Donald Trump announced this week that the US Food and Drug Administration will be notifying physicians that the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy "can be associated with a very increased risk of autism," despite decades of evidence that it's safe.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. supported the announcement, stating that "some 40-70% of mothers who have children with autism believe that their child was injured by a vaccine." "President Trump believes that we should be listening to these mothers instead of gaslighting and marginalizing them like prior administrations," he added.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also announced that “[the FDA] will issue a physician's notice about the risks of acetaminophen during pregnancy and begin the process to initiate a safety label change."
Reps. Clash
Representative Yassamin Ansari strongly disputed the administration's position, emphasizing the importance of scientific evidence.
"Tylenol doesn't cause autism. Science has proven this— and we should always follow science. We shouldn't be following guidance from RFK, Jr., who has absolutely no background in science or health care," she emphasized on social media.
In contrast, Representative Eli Crane backed the Trump administration's stance, supporting parental choice.
"Democrats backed lockdowns, mandates, and medical tyranny. The Trump administration puts parents first and defends individual liberty. We are not the same," he expressed.
Medical Community's Response
Arizona medical professionals have expressed concern about the federal guidance. Dr. Sharon Thompson, the managing director of Central Phoenix Obstetrics and Gynecology, told AZFamily that there is no scientific data to support a connection between autism and the vaccine.
"Acetaminophen is actually the only medicine that is universally safe for treating pain or fever in pregnancy," Dr. Thompson said. She noted that other pain relievers like opioids or ibuprofen have known complications, making Tylenol the standard recommendation for pregnant women.
"It is a medicine that is useful and that is available to pregnant women, so removing that as a medication is problematic," Dr. Thompson added.
Dr. Thompson characterized President Donald Trump’s claim about Tylenol causing autism as a "hypothesis" and expressed concern that reduced medical research funding could affect scientists' ability to gather evidence.
Background
The Trump administration has announced bold new actions to confront what it calls the nation's autism spectrum disorder (ASD) epidemic, which has surged nearly 400% since 2000 and now affects 1 in 31 American children.
The announcement comes as part of broader health policy changes within the Trump administration, with Kennedy leading efforts to revise various medical recommendations and pharmaceutical guidelines.
Since then, and following the announcement, a debate has appeared between those supporting the administration's precautionary approach and medical professionals who argue that the scientific evidence does not support changing current recommendations.
