The European Council of Autistic People (EUCAP), an umbrella organisation for 27 autistic-led organisations, cautions autistic people, their families and supporters, researchers and policymakers that the current US administration is spreading misinformation.
We object to their portrayal of autism in excessively negative, pathologizing terms, as well as placing blame on parents and inciting needless fear and panic.
In our view, acetaminophen (paracetamol, Tylenol) should be used according to previously published guidelines. There is no credible evidence to suggest that its use has contributed to a rise in autism diagnoses.
In our view, folinic acid (Leucovorin) has not been studied sufficiently for widespread use in autistic children. It should be used only when there are specific indications for its use, to avoid unnecessary adverse effects and other potential harm.
We believe that it would improve the quality of the research funded as part of the Autism Data Science Initiative if autistic people’s organisations in the US could be involved in determining its directions and assessing its results. This would require participation that allows real impact, beyond tokenistic advisory committee roles for a small number of individual autistic people.
For more information on this topic, see the article EUCAP views on the credibility of claims made by President Trump and his administration.
