Trump’s Tylenol Warning Echoes Past Misconceptions: NPR

The U.S. is facing a critical shortage of pharmacists, and it’s only getting worse

The steady rhythm of the pharmacy – prescriptions filled, advice given, vaccinations administered – is facing a disruptive force: a growing shortage of pharmacists. Across the U.S., pharmacies are struggling to stay fully staffed, leading to longer wait times, reduced hours, and, in some cases, temporary closures.

The problem isn’t new, but it’s been considerably exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. pharmacists were on the front lines,administering vaccines and providing crucial data during a time of immense public anxiety. This increased workload, coupled with existing pressures, led to burnout and early retirements.

“We were already seeing a trend of pharmacists retiring, but the pandemic really accelerated that,” says Scott Knoer, CEO of the American Pharmacists Association. “and then you layer on top of that the increased demands on pharmacists – not just vaccinations,but also testing,and dealing with a lot of anxious patients – and it really took a toll.”

Several factors contribute to the shortage:

* Aging Workforce: A meaningful portion of the pharmacist workforce is nearing retirement age.
* Burnout: the pandemic significantly increased stress and workload, leading to burnout and pharmacists leaving the profession.
* Increased Demand: The aging population and increasing rates of chronic diseases are driving up demand for pharmaceutical care.
* Limited Enrollment in Pharmacy Schools: For years, pharmacy school enrollment has been relatively flat, failing to keep pace with the growing demand.
* Changing Role of Pharmacists: The role of pharmacists is evolving beyond simply dispensing medications. They are now increasingly involved in patient care, medication therapy management, and preventative health services, requiring more training and time.

The consequences of the shortage are far-reaching:

* Longer Wait Times: Patients are experiencing longer wait times to get their prescriptions filled.
* Reduced Pharmacy Hours: Some pharmacies are forced to reduce their hours of operation or temporarily close.
* increased Workload for Remaining Pharmacists: The shortage puts additional strain on the pharmacists who remain, possibly leading to more errors and burnout.
* Limited Access to Care: In rural and underserved areas, the shortage can severely limit access to essential pharmaceutical care.

What’s being done to address the problem?

pharmacy schools are working to increase enrollment, and there’s a growing push to expand the role of pharmacy technicians to help alleviate some of the workload. Some states are also exploring legislation to allow pharmacists to practice to the full extent of their training,including prescribing certain medications.

“We need to look at innovative solutions to address this shortage,” Knoer says. “That includes expanding the role of pharmacy technicians, utilizing technology to streamline processes, and making sure that pharmacists are being compensated fairly for the valuable services they provide.”

The shortage of pharmacists is a complex issue with no easy solutions. But addressing it is indeed crucial to ensuring that Americans have access to the medications and care they need.

Trump’s Tylenol Advice draws Criticism From Medical Experts

Tylenol caplets are displayed on september 22, 2025 in San Anselmo, California.
Photo Illustration by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

This week, President Trump urged pregnant women to “tough it out” and take Tylenol sparingly on the basis that there’s a link between the active ingredient in the pain killer, acetaminophen, and autism.

Medical experts have strongly pushed back on the guidance, arguing that such claims are misleading and research shows there’s no causal link between acetaminophen and autism. The Food and Drug governance also later clarified that “while an association between acetaminophen and autism has been described in many studies, a causal relationship has not been established and there are contrary studies in the scientific literature.”

History shows blaming mothers for autism is a recurring pattern

Still, the remarks on Monday sparked confusion, worry and guilt among pregnant women and families with children who have autism. Medical scholars say it’s part of a pattern in the history of medicine and autism research.

“ We really have a long history of blaming mothers in this country, and we’re seeing that reinforced through the narratives around autism’s causes right now,” said Martine Lappé, a sociology professor at california Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, who has studied how autism science and advocacy have affected families.

Autism spectrum disorder, as it is officially called, is a complex neurodevelopmental condition, with a wide range of characteristics and support levels. There are more than 100 genes associated with it. Historically, efforts to find a singular cause for autism has led to scrutinizing parents and fueling stigma about autism, Lappé added.

In the mid-20th century, working moms were wrongly associated with autism

In the 1940s, not long after autism was recognized as a distinct condition, blame quickly fell on mothers – specifically those with careers or college degrees.

The leading child psychiatrist at the time, Leo Kanner, observed that many of his young patients with autism had mothers who were highly educated or working professionals, and also seemed emotionally cold.Kanner concluded that a lack of parental warmth drove children to retreat into behaviors associated with autism, in what later became known as the “refrigerator mom” theory.

“ A cold mother, at the time, pretty much meant an intellectual mother, a mother who had othre interests besides raising her children,” said Marga Vicedo, a historian of science at the University of Toronto, Canada, who has published a book on the history of the “refrigerator mom” theory.

According to Vicedo, the number of educated mothers in Kanner’s studies could have been explained by other factors, like the fact that many of them came from middle-to-upper class backgrounds, where higher education was more common.

from “Refrigerator Moms” to Tylenol: How Blaming Mothers Oversimplifies Autism

For decades, theories have emerged attempting to pinpoint the cause of autism, often centering on mothers. From the discredited “refrigerator mom” theory to recent claims about Tylenol,these narratives place undue blame on parents and detract from a more nuanced understanding of the condition.

The chilling “refrigerator mom” theory

In the 1950s, the “refrigerator mom” theory gained traction, suggesting that emotionally cold and distant mothers caused autism in their children. This idea, popularized by Leo Kanner, posited that these mothers lacked warmth and affection, leading to emotional disturbance in their children.

“It’s a very strong and powerful way of keeping mothers as the main caretakers,” said Dr. Michelle Vicedo, a developmental pediatrician at the University of California, San Francisco. the theory fueled immense guilt and shame for mothers, and even led to harmful interventions like separating children from their parents.

Over time, research revealed the significant role of genetics in autism, discrediting the “refrigerator mom” theory. Parents, particularly mothers, began to challenge the notion that they were to blame. Vicedo now sees parallels between this past rhetoric and the current focus on Tylenol, noting a tendency to seek a singular cause for a complex condition. “The continued focus on what mothers do places a tremendous burden and a lot of stress on them,” she said.

Vaccine skepticism and the tendency to oversimplify autism

decades after the “refrigerator mom” theory was debunked, vaccines became the new focal point. In 1998, Andrew Wakefield falsely claimed a link between the MMR vaccine and autism.

His study was retracted, his claims disproven, and he lost his medical license. However, the damage was done. According to Dr. Beth Lappé,a professor of sociology at Cal Poly,the time and resources spent addressing this myth could have been directed towards valuable autism research.

Lappé argues, as with the “refrigerator mom” theory, the vaccine myth overemphasized parental choices for a condition largely rooted in genetics and multiple factors. “Mothers, I think, felt a lot of individual blame and responsibility if their children did have autism,” she said. These narratives also divert attention from crucial conversations about healthcare access, childcare, and neurodiversity research. “If the goal is truly to promote health and wellness, then we need policies that support what we certainly no mothers and caregivers need,” she said.

Tylenol and the pressure to ‘tough it out’

Medical experts and scholars are concerned that the recent claims about Tylenol are creating a difficult situation for pregnant women and families.

“It really puts women and mothers and medical providers in this really challenging situation because women are now being told differing stories from different individuals,” said Dr.Rachel Follmer, a developmental and behavioral pediatrician at Ann &a

Concerns Raised Over Trump Administration’s Link Between acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy and Autism

Recent discussion has resurfaced regarding claims made during the Trump administration linking the use of acetaminophen (commonly known as Tylenol) during pregnancy to an increased risk of autism in children. These claims, initially stemming from research presented at a conference, have been met with scrutiny from the medical community, who emphasize the importance of managing fever during pregnancy and the lack of conclusive evidence supporting a causal link.

The concerns center around a 2018 study presented at the International Meeting for Autism Research,wich suggested a correlation between acetaminophen exposure in utero and autism spectrum disorder. However, this study, and subsequent analyses, demonstrated association, not causation. As explained by experts, correlation does not equal causation – meaning that while a relationship may exist, it doesn’t prove that one thing directly causes the other. https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/acetaminophen-pregnancy-autism-link-still-unclear/

The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine highlights the dangers of untreated fever during pregnancy, stating that it “increases the risk of miscarriage, birth defects, and premature birth.” https://www.smfm.org/publications/clinical-guidelines/fever-in-pregnancy/ acetaminophen is often recommended by doctors to manage fever and pain during pregnancy, as it is generally considered safe when used as directed.

The trump administration’s focus on this potential link sparked anxiety among expectant mothers. Sarah Richardson, a professor at Harvard University specializing in the history of science and studies of women, gender, and sexuality, notes that such pronouncements contribute to an already intense pressure on parents to “optimize outcome” for their children. She argues that this creates a climate with “very little tolerance for the idea that there are many things not under our control.”

It’s crucial to understand that current medical guidance does not advise pregnant women to avoid acetaminophen altogether. Instead, healthcare providers recommend discussing pain and fever management strategies with their doctors, weighing the potential risks and benefits of all available options. The american College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has not issued any warnings against the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy when medically necessary. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/acetaminophen-and-pregnancy

Further research is ongoing to better understand the potential relationship between acetaminophen exposure during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes. However, at this time, the available evidence does not support a causal link, and avoiding fever treatment during pregnancy can pose significant risks to both mother and baby.