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Comment by dofm | Hacker News Reader

Why would it need to? There is no medical controversy.

There’s only a weak and now discounted statistical association that was seized upon by two disgraceful anti-science politicians to create a political controversy.

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>Why would it need to?

Because that is what everyone (I mean, not if you are pharma) is interested in...

Perhaps you believe there is no medical controversy, but there is a legal one:

https://reason.com/volokh/2026/07/20/the-second-circuits-pro...

It’s hard to ignore a link when the n is this large. A 15% greater chance of getting autism is very significant.

A 2024 study of nearly 2.5 million children initially found:

* Autism by age 10: 1.53% with prenatal exposure versus 1.33% without * ADHD: 2.87% versus 2.46%

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2817406

This is the study you are referring to. I will leave it to others to judge your comment.

> Acetaminophen use during pregnancy was not associated with children’s risk of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability in sibling control analysis. This suggests that associations observed in other models may have been attributable to familial confounding.

To spell it out: the study’s point (sorry, “Conclusions and Relevance”) is to explain away the very data GP cites?

It's a shame this became a high-profile political issue, because there is a real unanswered medical question there, as even that study acknowledges ("associations observed in other models", including that study itself outside of the sibling control analysis).

Also: "However, a 2021 consensus statement by an international group of scientists and clinicians recommended that pregnant individuals “forego [acetaminophen] unless its use is medically indicated,” among other precautionary actions, due to potential risk of developmental disorders such as autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)."

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41574-021-00553-7

I can't figure it out. What is the actual reason they knowingly LIED about it?

Some personal grievance against Tylenol brand?

More graft from a competitor?

Appease their conspiracy loving dumbass base?

Destroy the scientific reputation of the US?

Trump is actually that fucking stupid?

All of the above?

The administration promised they'd find a cause by September 2025. I guess that was the best they had at that point?

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rfk-jr-cause-of-autism-research...

They promised to find a reason. My best guess is that they picked a generic drug that is only a painkiller to blame in order to blunt any possible lawsuit. But it’s equally possible that RFK Hr, who is weird, fully evil and profoundly dangerous, actually believes it.

This is just how authoritarian governments operate. It’s not some Machiavellian set of dominos. It’s more of a test of loyalty to The Administration than anything else.

I don’t think they’re lying. They probably honestly think they are correct.

They actively reject the values of intellectualism, critical thinking, and expert consensus. They instead embrace empiricism, loyalty, and the great man theory.

It’s a recipe for severe Dunning-Kruger.

> empiricism, loyalty, and the great man theory.

One of those things is not like the others. Presumably you had another word in mind.

I did in fact mean empiricism... but it is empiricism while rejecting intellectualism. They believe their personal observation and judgement are superior.

I am not sure, but the claim was that there is some date based correlation when this drug started being used, and rise of some health issues kids...

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