When President Trump announced that the 2020 election was “totally rigged” or that there was “no inflation” during his first presidency, news sources like CNN and even everyday citizens quickly fact-checked him. In total, The Washington Post reported that Trump made over 30,573 misleading assertions or false claims between 2015 and 2021. Trump’s most recent addition to this long list occurred on Sept. 22, when he made one of the boldest claims throughout his presidency: Acetaminophen, an active ingredient in Tylenol, when consumed by pregnant women, can cause autism in children. Trump’s announcement was presented with utmost certainty, regardless of his lack of medical expertise.

Led by Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., informally known as RFK Jr., the Trump Administration has vowed to take action against the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) epidemic. Trump’s team set a deadline of Sept. 29, 2025, to address the public with a solution to the neurodivergent disease. In May, RFK Jr. launched the 50-million-dollar Autism Data Science Initiative (ADSI) to explore the causes, treatments and interventions for the disorder.

In August, RFK Jr. had a conversation with Andrea Baccarelli, a researcher from Harvard University, regarding a link between acetaminophen use and neurodevelopmental disorders in children. Baccarelli, after completing a study with a team of Harvard researchers, had only mentioned a “potential link” and suggested that more data be collected on the topic. However, an underqualified RFK Jr. and the Trump administration moved forward with the September announcement, invigorated by the results of the Harvard study. 

Across the world, top health experts are rejecting Trump’s claims. Specifically, the New Zealand Ministry of Health, the German Health Ministry, the United Kingdom’s Health Regulator (MHRA), and the Spanish Health Minister have all upheld that pregnant women should continue to consume acetaminophen for pain and fever relief. The extent of support for the drug raises questions about the U.S.’s integrity and justification for its announcement. 

At West High, students are experiencing a similar concern about the government’s actions. Senior Dhiya Prasanna has been involved with neonatal research at St. Louis University and serves as the vice president of both Beta Chi Pi, a science honors society, and Medical Club. Prasanna’s sense of awareness about scientific issues in the world has augmented, enabling her to become a critical evaluator of data and news.

“I am upset by the pattern of false information because I know that there’s nothing you can do [about] the people who believe in these false claims. No matter how much evidence you put in front of their face, it won’t be enough to convince them,” Prasanna said. “I wouldn’t care if this didn’t impact me, but since these beliefs do impact voting and policymaking, it does impact me, which is why it’s important to try your best to spread correct information and correct people [who] believe in the wrong things.”

Addressing the public, including individual listeners like Prasanna, Trump urged in a press conference to “fight like hell not to take it” in reference to Tylenol. Even the U.S.’s own Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not use such deterministic language, stating that there only “may be” a link between acetaminophen and an increased risk of neurological conditions like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism. In the coming weeks, labels with warnings against acetaminophen will be added to Tylenol and similar products. 

For West High’s presence of students with autism, Special School District (SSD) teacher Rachel Lazerwitz serves as an integral educator. Taking students with autism through social skills activities, reading and real-life math, Lazerwitz has developed a deep appreciation for the autism community. In light of President Trump’s recent statements, Lazerwitz expressed her disappointment.

“[On] Sept. 29, it [didn’t] happen. There [was] no cure [and in one year, in] 2026, there’s still not going to be a cure. It took [a long time] to find the drugs to help people with HIV, so you don’t actually get AIDS. [We] don’t have cures for so many cancers and they’ve been working on that [for] forever,” Lazerwitz said. “It’s not fair to anybody: to individuals with autism, to their parents, to the general public, to say ‘this date we’re going to be here’ 一 it’s not going to happen.”

The effort to find a “cure” by Sept. 29 only began in April of 2025, and with a rushed timeline came uncertain answers. What’s extremely concerning about Trump’s announcement is the lack of scientific evidence to back up his claims. In fact, scientific evidence points in the opposite direction; for most women, acetaminophen is one of the only drugs that doctors have recommended for pain relief during pregnancy. Not taking acetaminophen to combat fevers in early pregnancy could actually cause major neurodevelopmental delays. With the Trump Administration’s new and strong recommendation to avoid the drug during pregnancy, a valuable option is discouraged without causal evidence, creating doubt and worry amongst mothers and health professionals. 

President Trump’s statements reflect an insensitivity to autistic individuals across the country, especially high school students. For many, his statements are exacerbating a preexisting stigma towards the autistic community. Blaming mothers for their child’s autism is unfeeling, with disregard for the science behind the neurodivergence.

“It’s extremely frustrating. As someone who has worked with students with autism [from] kindergarten all the way up to 20-year-olds, it’s frustrating that people in the world are actually going to think that their parents took Tylenol when they were pregnant and bam, look what happened to them,” Lazerwitz said. “It’s scary for parents [to be] told [Tylenol] is what caused your child [to have autism], some of them are going to believe it, they’re going to blame themselves, [but] it’s not [their] fault. Autism has nothing to do with that. Autism is something with the brain that you just don’t know what that missing piece is.”

While the false claims are concerning, another important consideration is the effect on the autism community. Discussing autism as a disease can be discriminatory and generate more stigma towards the community. In fact, Head of Policy and Campaigns at the National Autistic Community, Mel Merrit, has stated that Trump’s announcements are “irresponsible” and “devaluing” of autistic people. In the conversation to help autistic people, there should be respect, kindness and fairness, rather than pointed efforts that create fear within the community. The government must take into consideration every single one in 31 children who have autism and the effect of the misinformed claims on them.

“I would love [for] there to be a cure for autism. I think that would be absolutely amazing if there’s something that there can be a pill that you can start taking, or an IV that you can be given that can positively affect you. Put me out of a job. The best thing in the world would be if there were kids who no longer need special education,” Lazerwitz said. “Do I think that’s going to happen? No. Would it be great if there’s something that can affect them anyway? Yes.”

The administration’s ADSI to support autistic individuals is a valid effort. However, in combating the disorder, they must understand that it is not a disease but an identity, and an integral part of some people’s lives. With the number of children diagnosed with autism increasing at a rate of 300 percent over the past 20 years, it makes sense that the administration wants to come up with a comforting response to the disorder. But their main focus should truly be on support and improving services that allow autistic individuals to be healthy and safe. That doesn’t mean ignoring those who have a neurodivergence currently, but focusing on monetary and emotional support to individuals and their families. 

In schools specifically, the government can help by providing more financial assistance to special needs programs at schools and extending aid to post-secondary programs. In recent years, the number of public schools that qualify for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has increased by 12 percent; however, the funding for educational services has stayed the same. The government can assist the autism and special needs communities in the best way by providing fiscal support to schools and teachers.

“A lot of our kids come to high school and graduate when they’re 18. [Beyond that age], they’re [in high school for] another three years because the funding has been put on hold for them to be able to go to an adult day program. The programs [are also] several hundred dollars a week, if not a month. [For some students], their parents are applying, but they need the funding before they can actually get accepted and start going there, so [students get] stuck [in high school] and get bored. They even start to regress,” Lazerwitz said. “More money should be put towards post-secondary programs that can include the [transition from] high school [into adulthood and] focus on daily living.”