The scene would have been comical if not so scary.
President Trump stood on the White Home podium, addressing a room stuffed with reporters.
“First, efficient instantly, the FDA can be notifying physicians that the usage of…ah-said-a…nicely…let’s see how we are saying that.”
As he struggled once more to say “acetaminophen,” and requested somebody off digicam, “Is that OK?” when he lastly managed to get his lips across the phrase, the second was an ideal encapsulation of the dumbing down of experience and the political corruption of science below this administration.
He stated that taking acetaminophen, or Tylenol, whereas pregnant has been related to a “very elevated danger of autism,” a declare pushed by Well being and Human Providers Secretary Robert F. Kennedy with little to no foundation in scientific truth.
“Taking Tylenol isn’t good,” Trump declared, as if anybody of their proper thoughts would take medical recommendation from a man who recommended injecting disinfectant to deal with coronavirus.
Scientists — individuals who, not like Trump and Kennedy, have precise experience in these issues — objected. Dr. Helen Tager-Flusberg, director of the Heart for Autism Analysis Excellence at Boston College known as the announcement “appalling” and “a really vital distortion” of what science says about any attainable hyperlinks.
The Coalition of Autism Scientists stated: “The information cited don’t assist the declare that Tylenol causes autism and leucovorin is a remedy, and solely stoke worry and falsely recommend hope when there isn’t a easy reply.”
And Sura Alwan, a scientific teratologist on the College of British Columbia, stated, “The proof doesn’t assist a causal hyperlink between acetaminophen or vaccines and autism.”
The absurdity of Trump and Kennedy doling out medical recommendation, when the previous promoted taking anti-malaria treatment hydroxychloroquine to beat back COVID-19 — after which contracted COVID-19 himself — and the latter believes chemical compounds in consuming water could make somebody homosexual or trans, shouldn’t be misplaced on anybody.
Everybody ought to ignore these crackpot Looney Tunes and belief their docs and pediatricians, not two politicians cosplaying at science, whose lengthy and sordid historical past of dangerous recommendation might result in critical damage or loss of life.
And whereas MAGA-world often falls in line shortly to defend even Trump’s worst impulses — see Jan. 6, see Russia, see tariffs — this time Tweedledum and Tweedledee aren’t getting fairly the assist they’re used to. That’s how dangerous that is.
Lower than a day after Trump made his announcement, his personal administrator of the Facilities for Medicare and Medicaid Providers, Dr. Mehmet Oz, went on MAGA favourite Fox Information to stroll it again.
“So the message isn’t, ‘By no means take Tylenol,’ ” he stated, contradicting Trump’s personal phrases. “It’s, ‘Take Tylenol judiciously.’ Take it by speaking together with your physician.”
Additionally on Fox, the community’s personal senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel requested and answered the query fairly definitively. “Does acetaminophen throughout being pregnant trigger autism? Individuals on the market must know there’s completely no proof by any means that that’s the case.”
In Congress, there’s been some uncommon pushback, too. Senate Majority Chief John Thune instructed CNN he was “very involved” and insisted, “science should information these discussions.”
Sen. Invoice Cassidy, a licensed doctor, posted on X, “HHS ought to launch the brand new information that it has to assist this declare. The preponderance of proof exhibits that this isn’t the case.”
And Rupert Murdoch’s Wall Road Journal blasted Trump and Kennedy’s anti-Tylenol marketing campaign, pointing to lawsuits in opposition to the maker of Tylenol and what could also be private pursuits in these outcomes.
“What’s happening right here has much less to do with healthcare than with a marketing campaign by the plaintiffs bar,” wrote the Journal’s editorial board. “If a drug firm made the unproven claims aired on the White Home, the Meals and Drug Administration would threaten authorized motion.”
“So why the sudden alarm, full with a presidential presser?” it continued. “The Occam’s razor reply is the affect of RFK Jr., who’s carrying water for his buddies within the plaintiffs bar. A who’s-who of lawsuit outlets are pushing the Tylenol-autism hyperlink in federal courtroom. The clear purpose is to drum up extra claims to drive a much bigger harm award or settlement.”
I’m not even certain Trump believes the entire rubbish he spewed on Monday. In his inimitable approach, he appeared to distance himself from what he was promoting, saying, “That is based mostly on what I really feel,” and “You recognize, I’m making these statements from me, I’m not making them from these docs,” and “I’m not a health care provider, however I’m giving my opinion.”
So when requested if it was acceptable for him to inform the general public what to do, given it was based mostly on his “emotions,” he answered it was “completely acceptable.”
Chef’s kiss.
S.E. Cupp is the host of “S.E. Cupp Unfiltered” on CNN.
