Overview

• On Monday, President Donald Trump and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. asserted a link between acetaminophen use in pregnancy and autism despite limited supporting evidence.
• Researchers and clinicians caution that the claim lacks robust, peer‑reviewed proof and urge adherence to standard scientific processes.
• Parents describe avoiding screenings or formal diagnoses to keep information off records they worry could feed registries or invite discrimination.
• Clinicians warn that skipping evaluations can cut children off from individualized education plans and other services that require documented diagnoses.
• The response follows months of controversy over the administration’s autism initiative and RFK Jr.’s prior promotion of vaccine‑autism theories.