The press conference was profoundly anti-science, as evidenced by the swift litany of press releases decrying the statements. It was also deeply anti-woman. Photograph: Tierney L Cross/The New York Times
In a nervously awaited press conference at the White House on Monday, US president Donald Trump, alongside his secretary of health and human services Robert F Kennedy jnr and Mehmet Oz, head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, made their “big announcement” on autism.
After a characteristically meandering prologue from Trump, the two “important findings” were delivered by Kennedy and colleagues. First, they drew a causal link between use of acetaminophen (paracetamol to us) and autism, declaring plans to instruct the FDA to “initiate a safety label change”. Second, they identified leucovorin (folinic acid) as an “exciting therapy” for children with existing diagnoses.
Much has already been written describing the whole gamut of scientific and ethical issues raised by Monday’s announce
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