Trump says the administration has found the answer to autism

The Trump administration is expected on Monday to link pregnant women’s use of Tylenol – known internationally as paracetamol – to a risk of autism, despite existing medical guidelines, the Washington Post reported.

Officials are also set to announce an initiative to examine whether leucovorin, a cancer and anemia drug, could be used as a potential treatment for autism, according to the Post. The report, published Sunday, cited four people with knowledge of the plans who spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement has not yet been made.

Medical guidelines state that Tylenol, whose active ingredient is acetaminophen in the U.S. and paracetamol elsewhere, is safe for pregnant women. However, federal health officials have been reviewing past studies – including an August review from researchers at Harvard University and Mount Sinai Hospital – that suggested a possible connection between Tylenol use early in pregnancy and a heightened risk of autism in children.

Trump previewed the announcement during a memorial service for conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Sunday, telling the crowd: “I think we found an answer to autism.” The day before, he called the forthcoming announcement “one of the most important things that we will do.”

Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. planned to announce that Tylenol use by pregnant women could be linked to autism, a neurodevelopmental condition marked by social and communication difficulties and repetitive behaviors.

Some medical trials of leucovorin in children with autism have shown “what some scientists describe as remarkable improvements in their ability to speak and understand others,” according to the Post. But experts emphasize those trials are still early.

Kennedy has long argued that the U.S. faces an “autism epidemic” driven by “environmental toxins.” He and other senior health officials are expected to take part in Monday’s announcement, Politico reported. While Kennedy has suggested Tylenol use during pregnancy may pose a risk, he had been hesitant to issue a public warning, signaling internal divisions within the Trump administration over how to approach the matter.