The White House is also expected to promote a new drug as a possible treatment for the condition, the outlet has said
The administration of US President Donald Trump plans on Monday to announce a possible link between Tylenol use in pregnancy and autism risk in children, The Washington Post has reported citing several officials familiar with the plan.
Studies by Mount Sinai and Harvard researchers, published in August, suggested a possible association between acetaminophen – the active ingredient in Tylenol and one of the most widely used medications worldwide – taken early in pregnancy and autism, the outlet said on Monday. The administration will reportedly advise women to avoid Tylenol unless they need it to fight a fever.
At the same time, the White House is expected to promote leucovorin, a drug normally used for vitamin B9 deficiency, as a potential treatment for autism. According to some scientists, early trials showed “remarkable improvements” in speech and understanding among children with autism, prompting the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review and renewed debate over the condition’s causes.
Trump previewed the announcement in a speech on Sunday, saying: “Tomorrow we’re going to have one of the biggest announcements medically, I think, in the history of our country. I think you’re going to find it to be amazing. I think we found an answer to autism.”
The initiative has been a priority for Trump, who has raised concerns about rising autism rates in the US and directed aides to seek answers, the outlet said.
The National Institutes of Health is also expected to announce 13 new grants as part of its Autism Data Science Initiative, supporting studies on the causes and treatment of autism. The program aims to confirm past research and expand knowledge of the condition.
Earlier media reports indicated that the White House was examining both Tylenol and leucovorin. Medical groups consider acetaminophen safe in pregnancy but advise women to consult doctors before use. Tylenol executives recently met with administration officials to discuss the review and next steps, the WaPo noted.
