Donald Trump and Health Policy

A new study in The Lancet finds that emergency‑department orders for Tylenol (acetaminophen) for pregnant women at more than 1,600 U.S. hospitals fell about 10% immediately after President Trump told pregnant women in a September 2025 White House appearance to avoid Tylenol because it would increase their babies’ risk of autism, a link mainstream science does not support. The researchers, led by Dr. Jeremy Faust of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, found no comparable change in acetaminophen orders for non‑pregnant women, suggesting the president’s comments specifically altered care for pregnant patients, though the data cannot distinguish whether doctors prescribed it less or patients refused it. Faust argues this means thousands of women likely went without needed pain relief or fever reduction in the following months, while Johns Hopkins epidemiologist Dr. Caleb Alexander says the findings show how quickly presidential rhetoric can move both prescriber and patient behavior. The study also reports that prescriptions for leucovorin, a B‑vitamin drug Trump touted as an autism treatment despite a lack of large clinical trials, spiked and had not returned to baseline by early December. Tylenol maker Kenvue told investors that consumption "improved" in December and reiterated there is no credible evidence linking acetaminophen to autism, underscoring the gap between political messaging and established medical consensus.