JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2014 Local autism advocates are pushing back after President Trump announced that taking acetaminophen \u2013 the active ingredient in Tylenol \u2013 during pregnancy causes autism in children.<\/p>\n
Cindy Sonne, a board member of the Autism Society of Florida and grandmother of a 5-year-old who has autism, says the president\u2019s claim could be harmful to mothers. \u201cWhen you hear this, I think mothers are going to start wanting to blame themselves,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
[DOWNLOAD: <\/b>Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks<\/b><\/a>]<\/b><\/p>\n President Trump, during a White House news conference, said that Tylenol during pregnancy can be associated with a very increased risk of autism. <\/p>\n \u201cYou know the way I look at it, don\u2019t take it. Don\u2019t take it. There\u2019s no downside to not taking it,\u201d said the president.<\/p>\n But Sonne says she wants more research and transparency before she\u2019s convinced. \u201cI want honest and true facts. I want more research, obviously. I want transparency and accountability for the pharmaceutical industry.\u201d<\/p>\n The FDA is initiating a change to acetaminophen labels to acknowledge the possibility of such neurological conditions in children following usage. However, it stopped short of saying it causes autism.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt is important to note that while an association between acetaminophen and neurological conditions has been described in many studies, a causal relationship has not been established and there are contrary studies in the scientific literature,\u201d wrote the FDA. \u201cIt is also noted that acetaminophen is the only over-the-counter drug approved for use to treat fevers during pregnancy, and high fevers in pregnant women can pose a risk to their children.\u201d<\/p>\n Sonne added that families living with autism already face challenges and need more support from lawmakers, not finger-pointing.<\/p>\n