Health organizations attacking Trump's Tylenol-autism claims are cozied up with Big Pharma

Medical establishmentarians have come out of the woodwork to condemn the Trump administration's recent autism announcement. Although these health organizations dispute the administration's findings from a medical perspective, many of them omit their close ties to pharmaceutical companies.

President Donald Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sparked outrage among the medical establishment by formally naming acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, as one of the alleged culprits behind the exponential increase of autism in American children.

'The Trump administration does not believe popping more pills is always the answer.'

Trump and Kennedy's announcement suggested that pregnant women who take acetaminophen could be at an increased risk of having children with neurological conditions like autism and ADHD. Kennedy also indicated that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will notify physicians of the findings and that the Department of Health and Human Services will launch a nationwide campaign to inform parents of the potential risks.

"For this reason, they are strongly recommending that women limit Tylenol use during pregnancy unless medically necessary," Trump said during the Monday announcement.

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"The Trump administration does not believe popping more pills is always the answer for better health," press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. "There is mounting evidence finding a connection between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism — and that’s why the administration is courageously issuing this new health guidance."

A slew of medical organizations quickly came out against the findings, saying they are "filled with dangerous claims" and "irresponsible." At the same time, some of these same organizations have cozied up to pharmaceutical companies.

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The American Psychiatric Association cautioned against the White House announcement, saying it was "incorrect to imply that a handful of studies have established causation."

"A strong base of evidence shows that acetaminophen, when taken as directed, is safe for use during pregnancy," the APA said in a statement. "Any decisions around a course of treatment should be determined by a patient and their doctor."

One of the many notable "patrons" that supports the APA Foundation includes Johnson & Johnson, which owned the Tylenol brand for decades before Kenvue took ownership in 2023. Other patrons include Alkermes, which produces a drug that is being tested for efficacy in treating autism, and Sage Therapeutics, which also has a drug development program to treat conditions like autism.

Other groups like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists as well as the American Academy of Pediatrics have issued similar statements criticizing the administration's autism announcement.

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"Today’s White House event on autism was filled with dangerous claims and misleading information that sends a confusing message to parents and expecting parents and does a disservice to autistic individuals," the AAP said in a statement.

"Suggestions that acetaminophen use in pregnancy causes autism are not only highly concerning to clinicians but also irresponsible when considering the harmful and confusing message they send to pregnant patients, including those who may need to rely on this beneficial medicine during pregnancy," the ACOG said in a statement.

Although the ACOG does not appear to have directly received funding from pharmaceutical companies, several have been listed as "supporters" of the organization. Meanwhile, the AAP's "Presidential Circle," which is made up of corporations that have donated $50,000 or more, includes household pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and Moderna. The "Patron" donors list, which includes donations between $25,000 and $49,000, also includes Eli Lily and Genentech as partners.

The APA, the AAP, and the ACOG did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

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