Statement on Recent Federal Claims About Autism
President Trump and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy recently announced that autism is caused by taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) during pregnancy and can be treated with a folate-derived medication. Like other evidence-based organizations, we are deeply concerned that these claims lack scientific support and pose serious public health risks, including that pregnant people may avoid safe treatments for fever or pain.
More broadly, this focus on “causes” and “cures” sends a clear message that autistic lives are less valuable or should not exist.
For decades, autism research and practice have been dominated by a medicalized view of autism as a disorder requiring treatment. Attempts to identify environmental cause(s) extend this model to its’ logical conclusion—that autism should be “un-caused” or rather, prevented. Instead, scientific inquiry should align with autistic people’s priorities for inclusion and well-being.
The rhetoric in this announcement reinforces stereotypes of autism as a tragedy or pathology. Research shows that deficit-focused framings contribute to high rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality among autistic people and fuel exclusion, bullying, and microaggressions. Attention to causes and cures also diverts resources from critical services that support autistic people’s engagement in education, healthcare, employment, and social connection.
Our education and healthcare systems were built on pathology-oriented, capitalist structures that value people for their productivity and performance. Most healthcare professionals are still trained in this model, including the autism-focused researchers, clinicians, educators, and related professionals in our group. Yet, we believe that we can do better.
We call for:
1. Humanizing Language: Autistic people must be recognized as valuable members of society. Public health leaders should avoid rhetoric that devalues autistic lives, such as “addressing rising rates of autism” or identifying the “cause of the autism epidemic”.
2. Evidence-Based Communication. Public guidance should emphasize peer-reviewed science and must accurately reflect uncertainties and avoid overstating causality.
3. Investment in Supports. Resources should prioritize accessible and equitable services for autistic people and families rather than potentially harmful treatments and unproven cures.
4. Meaningful Inclusion. The lived experience of autistic people must be directly included in policy decisions, public communication, and scientific agendas.