A quarter of Americans falsely link child vaccines and acetaminophen to autism, survey shows

Many Americans still hold unproven and false beliefs about risk factors for autism, a large new survey reveals. A quarter of more than 30,000 adults in a recent study said childhood vaccination and taking acetaminophen – also known as Tylenol – during pregnancy were tied to the brain development condition — despite extensive evidence showing the opposite.More men and Republicans were likely to endorse these beliefs, as well as adults aged 35-44 and people who were Black or Hispanic. Republican leaders such as Robert Kennedy Jr. and President Donald Trump have pushed the ideas about vaccination and autism. The findings may reflect diminished trust in traditional sources of public health, the researchers from Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey suggest. Greater trust in scientific and medical institutions was associated with lower rates of endorsement. “Our results add to abundant evidence of the growing politicization of beliefs about science and medicine,” they wrote. “This politicization of science preceded the Covid-19 pandemic, but variability in responses to the pandemic by state and federal leadership likely accelerated this trend.”A surprising number of American adults still hold unproven beliefs about autism risk factors, a new survey finds (Getty Images)That might not be surprising. The pandemic and rollout of the Covid vaccines have been tied to a surge in vaccine hesitancy and misinformation.What may be surprising is that social media use – a known source of misinformation and disinformation – was not linked to these beliefs. Instead, more frequent social media use showed a lower likelihood for them.“One possibility is that social media use parallels information seeking more generally — i.e., those with lower levels of use are also those with less access to sources of reliable health information,” the researchers said in a news release.The data was recorded online from 30,288 adults in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.What is known about autismAutism affects how people learn and communicate, but living with autism is a unique experience for each individual.Rates of autism have been rising in the U.S. over the past few decades, largely due to advanced screening. One in 45 adults are diagnosed with autism, according to non-profit Autism Speaks.There are several known risk factors, including genetic history, exposure to air pollution or certain pesticides, low birth weight or birth complications, advanced parental age and maternal obesity, diabetes or immune system disorders, the group says.Autism Speaks has also pointed out that no research has proven taking Tylenol causes autism and says vaccines do not cause autism, either. “Autism is often diagnosed around the same time children receive routine vaccinations, which has led to concerns about a connection — but decades of scientific research have confirmed that vaccines do not cause autism,” Autism Speaks says. President Donald Trump has claimed without proof that the MMR vaccine and Tylenol are linked to autism. Research shows that’s not the case (AFP via Getty Images)Trump’s claimsThe survey’s findings come over a year after President Trump claimed without proof that Tylenol was linked to autism. He’s also tied autism to the use of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. In August, he signed an executive order that would split up the shot, alleging that it could “have a huge impact on autism.” But research shows no link between the MMR vaccine and autism and public health experts say splitting the MMR vaccine could actually make people less safe. When “vaccines are split and more doses or visits are needed,” Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group at the University of Oxford, said. “[T]he result is that doses are missed and protection in the population drops.”He added: “This is very dangerous in the cases of these viruses, not least with outbreaks of measles already [ongoing].”