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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Trump Administration’s Problematic Claims on Tylenol and Autism

Trump Administration’s Problematic Claims on Tylenol and Autism

In a Sept. 22 press conference that he had billed as “one of the biggest [medical] announcements … in the history of our country,” President Donald Trump touted an unproven link between autism and the use of Tylenol, or acetaminophen, during pregnancy.

Repeated Falsehoods at Autism Press Conference

Repeated Falsehoods at Autism Press Conference

An hourlong press conference about autism was filled with false and misleading claims about the condition and vaccines from President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., many of which we have written about before.

The Facts Behind Claims on Autism, Tylenol and Folate

The Facts Behind Claims on Autism, Tylenol and Folate

News reports have indicated Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. may point to Tylenol and folate deficiency in his promised announcement on the causes of autism. But neither Tylenol nor folate deficiency has been shown to cause autism. Some evidence has pointed away from Tylenol as a risk factor.

RFK Jr. Misleads on Autism Prevalence, Causes

RFK Jr. Misleads on Autism Prevalence, Causes

In announcing new autism prevalence data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. distorted scientific research to argue that there is an “epidemic” of autism that must be due to an “environmental toxin.”

FactChecking Trump’s Address to Congress

FactChecking Trump’s Address to Congress

In his first address to a joint session of Congress in his second term, President Donald Trump distorted the facts on fraud, immigration, aid to Ukraine, the economy, autism and more.

RFK Jr. Cites Flawed Paper Claiming Link Between Vaccines and Autism in HHS Confirmation Hearing

RFK Jr. Cites Flawed Paper Claiming Link Between Vaccines and Autism in HHS Confirmation Hearing

In his second day of confirmation hearings, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, refused to say that vaccines do not cause autism — despite a large body of evidence showing there is no link. He also pointed to a flawed paper to suggest that there is credible evidence to claim vaccines cause the disorder.

Whoppers of 2024

Whoppers of 2024

Our annual roundup of the worst falsehoods of the year.

FactChecking Trump’s ‘Meet the Press’ Interview

FactChecking Trump’s ‘Meet the Press’ Interview

In his first post-election, sit-down broadcast interview, President-elect Donald Trump outlined his priorities for a second term. But in the interview, Trump continued to repeat inaccurate information related to immigration, crime, trade, health care and the election.

Sen. Mullin’s Misleading Vaccine Testing Claim

Sen. Mullin’s Misleading Vaccine Testing Claim

Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s suggestion that vaccines might cause autism because “there’s not been a direct study on each individual vaccine” misunderstands what’s known about autism, the extensive research on the subject and how science works.