Imagine a scenario where a prominent Harvard dean’s research becomes the cornerstone of a presidential warning, only to uncover a tangled web of past controversies and conflicting interests. This is exactly what happened when President Trump urged pregnant women to avoid Tylenol, citing a study co-authored by Dr. Andrea Baccarelli, dean of Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health. But here’s where it gets controversial: Dr. Baccarelli was once a paid expert witness in a lawsuit against Tylenol’s manufacturer, Kenvue, and his work was harshly criticized by a federal judge for being unreliable and biased.
Dr. Baccarelli’s study, published just last month, linked acetaminophen—the active ingredient in Tylenol—to neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism. The analysis, first reported by The Times of London, cautioned pregnant women to limit their acetaminophen use to safeguard their children’s brain development. This finding was prominently cited by FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary during a recent announcement, where he emphasized the ‘overwhelming evidence’ connecting Tylenol to autism. ‘We cannot wait any longer,’ Makary declared, echoing Dr. Baccarelli’s urgent tone.
President Trump amplified this message, bluntly advising reporters, ‘With Tylenol, don’t take it! Don’t take it.’ But this is the part most people miss: Dr. Baccarelli’s involvement in a 2023 class-action lawsuit against Kenvue raises questions about his impartiality. In that case, a group of parents alleged their children’s ADHD and autism were caused by maternal Tylenol use during pregnancy. Dr. Baccarelli was one of five expert witnesses for the plaintiffs, all of whom were dismissed by U.S. District Judge Denise Cote for presenting ‘unbalanced’ and ‘misleading’ testimonies.
Judge Cote’s scathing critique highlighted Dr. Baccarelli’s tendency to downplay studies contradicting his causation theory while overemphasizing those that supported it. She further noted that the expert witnesses ‘obfuscated the weakness of the evidence’ rather than clarifying it. Harvard confirmed Dr. Baccarelli’s role as a paid witness but declined to disclose his compensation. In a statement ahead of the White House press conference, Dr. Baccarelli defended his NIH-funded research as ‘rigorous,’ advising pregnant women to use acetaminophen sparingly and only after consulting their doctors.
While other studies have suggested a link between prenatal Tylenol use and autism, the scientific community remains deeply skeptical. The Coalition for Autism Scientists, representing over 250 researchers, criticized the administration’s warnings as fear-mongering and lacking definitive proof. Is Dr. Baccarelli’s research a groundbreaking revelation or a conflicted narrative? And should we trust presidential health advisories rooted in such controversial studies? Let’s discuss—what’s your take?
