In a September 2025 press briefing, President Donald Trump and other White House officials discussed the alleged risks of acetaminophen and benefits of leucovorin as the medications related to autism. In the months that followed, prescribing patterns for both medications shifted dramatically, according to a report in The Lancet.Why It’s Relevant
Significant changes in prescribing practice can take years—trickling down in the wake of new research and updated clinical guidelines. These rapid shifts showcase the power of political figures to steer health care decisions, which could have immense ramifications on public health.
By the Numbers
- Using the Cosmos database, which includes medical records from nearly 40,000 hospitals and clinics in the United States, researchers tracked emergency department (ED) orders for acetaminophen and outpatient prescriptions for leucovorin between June 30 and December 7, 2025.
- Following the September 22 press briefing discouraging the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy, ED orders for pregnant women ages 15 to 44 dropped by 10% below expected trends. The sharpest drop was observed during the first three weeks.
- There was no change in ED orders for acetaminophen among non-pregnant women, nor were there any shifts in two other products commonly given to pregnant women in the ED—opioids and Lactated Ringer’s electrolyte solution.
- Leucovorin prescriptions for children ages 5 to 17 years increased by 71% above expected trends following the briefing, which touted leucovorin as a potential therapy for autism symptoms related to folate deficiency. The sharpest rise occurred in the first two weeks.
- Prescriptions for folic acid—which also manages cerebral folate deficiency—did not change during the study period.
What’s More
Prescriptions for the two antipsychotics approved by the FDA to treat autism-related behavioral symptoms—risperidone and aripiprazole—experienced a modest uptick during the tail end of the study period. The researchers hypothesized that this might be the result of clinicians offering alternative treatments during a leucovorin shortage that occurred in November.
The Other Side
This analysis couldn’t distinguish the extent to which these shifts were influenced by physician decision-making versus patient demand. There was also no information on changes in over-the-counter acetaminophen use during pregnancy.
The Takeaway Message
While the current analysis didn’t explore health outcomes related to the prescribing changes, the researchers noted multiple potential consequences. Reductions in acetaminophen use could lead to higher incidence of untreated fevers, which pose fetal risks, or a shift toward other pain relievers that increase risk of bleeding. For leucovorin, an increase in use outside of cerebral folate deficiency might confer false hope to families.
Related Information
Source
Jeremy Faust and Michael Barnett. Changes in paracetamol and leucovorin use after a White House briefing. Lancet. Published March 5, 2026. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(26)00243-6
(Image: whitehouse.gov)
