The administration will reportedly also identify leucovorin, a drug used to treat cancer and anemia, as a potential treatment for autism.
Key Facts
Trump tied the use of acetaminophen—the active ingredient in Tylenol and other painkillers—during pregnancy to increased risk for autism.
“Fight like hell not to take it,” President Donald Trump said about Tylenol usage while pregnant, adding “don’t take it” before also suggesting children should not use the pain reliever.
When asked about studies that have found Tylenol can be safely taken while pregnant, Trump said, “That’s establishment stuff.”
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also suggested that leucovorin, a folinic acid, might be effective at treating autism in children, saying his department identified an “exciting therapy that may benefit large numbers of children who suffer from autism.”What Is Luecovorin?
Leucovorin is typically used to mitigate the side effects from certain cancer drugs, according to the Mayo Clinic, and is also used to treat some types of anemia and, alongside other drugs, colon cancer. Pregnant women are frequently encouraged to take folic acid in supplements, according to the CDC, to help neural tube development. Folinic acids like leucovorin are not quite the same thing, according to the National Institutes of Health—folic acids are synthesized and not found in nature, while folinic acid does occur in nature. Both are forms of folate, also known as vitamin B9, which are found in leafy green vegetables, including spinach, liver, asparagus, and brussels sprouts, and other foods, according to the NIH.
