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WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch

Trump and RFK Jr.'s Claims on Tylenol, Pregnancy and Autism

WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch

The Wall Street Journal

Society & Culture, News

42.7K Ratings

🗓️ 24 September 2025

⏱️ 27 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Donald Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urge pregnant women to avoid acetaminophen, which they say has been linked to autism. But does the research actually show any causal connection, and is it a coincidence that plaintiffs lawyers are pushing similar claims in court? Plus, the FDA rejects a new melanoma treatment that oncologists see as a breakthrough. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Energy demand is rising, and the infrastructure we build today will provide affordable energy for generations.

0:06.5

When America builds, America wins. Read API's plan to secure America's future at permitting reform now.org.

0:13.0

Pay for by the American Petroleum Institute.

0:17.6

From the opinion pages of the Wall Street Journal, this is Potomac Watch.

0:23.8

President Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. hold the news conference linking

0:28.8

Tylenol use by pregnant women to later autism diagnoses, with the Food and Drug Administration

0:35.1

moving to change the labeling on the pain medicine to suggest as much.

0:39.7

Welcome, I'm Kyle Peterson with the Wall Street Journal.

0:42.7

We're joined today by my colleagues on the editorial page,

0:46.1

columnist Alicia Finley and editorial board member Kate Badchelder O'Dell.

0:51.3

Fight like hell not to take it, President Trump said Monday at the White House,

0:55.9

referring to Tylenol, also known as acetaminophen. In a letter to physicians, FDA director

1:03.1

Marty McCary wrote this, quote, evidence is accumulated suggesting that the use of

1:08.3

acetaminopin by pregnant women may be associated with an

1:11.9

increased risk of neurological conditions such as autism and ADHD in children. Some studies have

1:18.4

described that risk as most pronounced when acetaminopin is taken chronically throughout pregnancy.

1:24.3

He went on to say that a causal relationship has not been established.

1:27.7

There are contrary studies in the scientific literature.

1:30.3

He also cautioned that Tylenol remains the safest over-the-counter alternative in pregnancy for women who have pain and fever.

1:39.3

But it's fair to say that much of that nuance was not echoed by the political leadership

1:45.0

at the White House.

1:46.0

Let's first listen to a clip of President Trump.

...

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