WA congresswoman leads Democratic doctors’ push to probe Trump admin Tylenol claims
Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) led colleagues in calling for a probe of the Trump administration’s claim that acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, is linked to higher rates of autism.
The Democratic Doctors Caucus sent a letter to the Energy and Commerce and Oversight and Government Reform Committees on Monday, urging immediate investigation into the Trump administration’s report, according to a news release from Schrier’s office.
“We members of Congress, and the American people, were left frustrated and confused following the September 22 press conference in which the president and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F Kennedy, Jr. linked Tylenol use during pregnancy and vaccinations to ASD,” the letter stated. “American families are seeking direction and expertise from our nation’s healthcare leaders. Instead, Monday’s press conference dealt blame to physicians and mothers who have safely recommended and taken Tylenol for high fever and pain during pregnancy for decades.”
The caucus also mentioned Trump linking childhood vaccines to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
“The president conflated childhood vaccines with ASD, suggesting vaccines are harming children and calling for the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine to be given in individual components, despite the absence of any credible scientific evidence supporting such a claim,” the letter stated. “While the president decried the number of shots administered to children, giving these vaccines in individual components will actually increase the number of shots children must receive to be protected against these dangerous diseases.”
Along with oversight, the caucus also requested that the Energy and Commerce and Oversight and Government Reform Committees call Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Dr. Mehmet Oz, and National Institutes of Health Director Jayanta Bhattacharya to testify before the committees to defend their claims.
The Democratic Doctors Caucus, composed of U.S. Representatives Ami Bera (CA-06), Herbert Conaway (NJ-03), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Raul Ruiz (CA-25), and Kim Schrier (WA-08), previously condemned what it called “dangerous misinformation on acetaminophen and Autism.”
It contends that Tylenol is commonly used to reduce fever during pregnancy, and that leaving a high fever untreated can harm the fetus.