HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania lawmakers and medical experts sharply criticized recent White House claims of a link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism, warning that the misinformation is diverting resources away from real needs in the autism community.
The comments came during a House Majority Policy Committee hearing at the Capitol Complex on Tuesday, where researchers and physicians testified about the fallout from last week’s press conference by President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The pair suggested that acetaminophen—sold widely as Tylenol—could cause autism, a claim quickly debunked by medical experts and professional organizations.
“All this misinformation coming from the White House and federal government has done real damage,” said Rep. Abigail Salisbury, who chaired the hearing. Salisbury, an autistic lawmaker who also chairs the Pennsylvania Autism Caucus, said providers are being forced to spend valuable time correcting bad science instead of addressing pressing patient needs or advancing research.
Dr. Reuben Brock, a psychology professor at Pennsylvania Western University California, told lawmakers that claims of an “autism explosion” misrepresent the reality. “There is not an explosion of autistic people happening right now … there is an explosion of understanding,” he said, pointing to improved diagnostic tools and awareness rather than a sudden surge in cases.
Medical testimony also challenged the safety implications of discouraging acetaminophen use during pregnancy. Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding, chief epidemiologist at the New England Complex Systems Institute, explained that untreated fevers in pregnant women can lead to birth defects and miscarriages, and that acetaminophen is considered a safer option compared to alternatives such as aspirin or ibuprofen.
Feigl-Ding also referenced a large-scale study published in JAMA that examined 2.5 million people in Sweden, concluding there was no link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism. He said the White House’s claims were “not backed by reliable data.”
Dr. David Mandell, professor of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, underscored the broader impact of misinformation. “The more time and resources we spend on issues related to whether acetaminophen or vaccines cause autism … is attention we are taking away from the real issues that affect autistic people and their families,” he said. “It makes it seem like our government is doing something important, when at the same time they are slashing services and support for autistic people.”
Rep. Ryan Bizzarro, chairman of the House Majority Policy Committee, said the hearing was convened to put science back at the center of the discussion. “Unfortunately, the people who know the least about this issue are talking the most and having their voice amplified to the greatest audience,” Bizzarro said.
Testimony at the hearing reinforced what experts described as a consensus in the scientific community: that acetaminophen remains safe for use during pregnancy and that political rhetoric linking it to autism is unfounded.
The hearing featured testimony from Mandell, Brock, and Feigl-Ding, each of whom urged lawmakers to prioritize evidence-based policy and services that directly improve the lives of autistic individuals and their families.
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