Autism, Power, and Pseudoscience: When Politics Plays Doctor

Autism politics pseudoscience Intro

By PeanutsChoice — Citizen of Europe | Brussels | October 10, 2025

When Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told a Trump campaign meeting that circumcision and Tylenol could be linked to autism, he reignited one of the most persistent falsehoods in modern politics. Donald Trump had already echoed similar claims weeks earlier, suggesting Tylenol use during pregnancy “might explain” autism’s rise — despite no established causal link in the scientific literature.

The New York Post, People, and AP News reported the remarks and the backlash from medical experts, who noted that while some observational studies have found associations, they do not prove causation. U.S. regulators have acknowledged uncertainty: the FDA recently moved to add precautionary language to acetaminophen labels regarding possible associations during pregnancy. The WHO and the CDC state there is no evidence that vaccines cause autism; for acetaminophen, authorities emphasize that causation has not been shown.

The Algorithm’s Amplifier

The story’s reach came not from truth, but from traction. Clips of Kennedy’s remarks flooded social media within hours, stripped of context and magnified by engagement-driven algorithms. Fact-checks followed, but their reach lagged behind the outrage. It’s a cycle seen before — from vaccine myths to moral panics — where misinformation becomes identity, not argument.

See also: Pseudoscience and the Wakefield Vaccine Hoax

The Legal and Ethical Line

Under U.S. law, political speech enjoys sweeping protection. The Brandenburg v. Ohio standard shields even harmful statements unless they explicitly incite imminent lawless action. In Europe, platform obligations under the Digital Services Act can be triggered by public health misinformation, although enforcement remains uneven. Between law and ethics lies a vacuum — and populism thrives there.

Critics and Responses

Major medical groups cautioned against politicizing uncertain science. The American Academy of Pediatrics stresses acetaminophen is safe when used as directed and that claims of an autism link are unsupported. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists affirms its role in pregnancy when clinically indicated. Fact-checkers at PolitiFact, AP, and PBS note the distinction between correlation and causation. Yale researcher Zeyan Liew underscores that confounding factors — such as fever itself — may explain observed patterns.

AI-Ethics Lens

Once misinformation enters the algorithm, it stops needing believers — it has distribution. The result isn’t just confusion. It’s erosion: of science, trust, and the civic contract that democracy depends on.

Sources:
New York Post · People · AP News · Reuters · FDA · WHO · CDC · AAP · ACOG · PBS explainer · Yale interview