Trump’s Tylenol Comment Misses the Point: Autism Services Should Already Be Accessible

Donald Trump is back in the headlines—this time warning pregnant women not to take Tylenol because he claims it causes autism in babies. He offered no proof, no new evidence, and health experts quickly shot the idea down. Tylenol’s parent company, Kenvue, even clapped back, saying they “strongly disagree” and reminding everyone that acetaminophen is considered safe during pregnancy when used properly.

But here’s the real tea: whether or not Tylenol had any connection to autism (spoiler: it doesn’t), this should not be the spark for a national conversation about autism. What we actually need to be talking about is how families and individuals with autism still struggle to get the services, resources, and support they deserve—period.

Autism Doesn’t Need Scapegoats, It Needs Support

Every time autism makes the headlines, it’s usually tied to blame, fear, or controversy. First it was vaccines, now Tylenol. Instead of chasing after false causes, the focus should be on:

• Early intervention services that can help children thrive.

• Accessible therapies like speech, occupational, and behavioral therapy—without waitlists that stretch for months or years.

• Insurance coverage that doesn’t make families jump through hoops just to afford basic care.

• Education systems that provide accommodations, not pushback.

• Job training and opportunities so autistic adults can live full, independent lives.

Why does it take a former president making a baseless claim for autism to even trend in the news cycle? Families have been struggling in silence for years, and it shouldn’t take a headline-grabbing controversy for America to pay attention.

The Stigma Problem

Autism is not a tragedy, and it’s not something that needs to be “blamed” on a medicine bottle in your cabinet. It’s a neurodevelopmental condition that exists in every community, in every state, across every background. The real tragedy is how our society underfunds, underserves, and underestimates autistic people.

By constantly searching for causes instead of focusing on care, we’re wasting time—and leaving millions of families without the help they need.

Tylenol Responds, But the Bigger Issue Remains

Tylenol’s parent company Kenvue quickly shut Trump’s comments down, saying acetaminophen has been safely used for decades and pointing out that untreated pain and fever in pregnancy can actually harm both mother and baby. Health authorities like the FDA and CDC back that up—Tylenol is still the recommended choice for pregnant women.

But while the science was defended, the real conversation got lost. Autism services are still treated like luxuries, when they should be basic rights. This is where the national energy should be going—not debating false claims, but fixing real gaps.

Trump’s comments might grab attention, but they miss the point entirely. Autism doesn’t need scapegoats, it needs support systems. Services, therapies, education, and jobs should already be available and affordable to every autistic person and their families. Period.

And it shouldn’t take a former president tossing Tylenol into the culture wars for us to realize that.

👉 What do you think? Should autism conversations shift away from “causes” and focus more on care and access? Drop your thoughts in the comments—because this is the conversation we really need to be having.