Trump Administration Weighs Executive Order on Autism, Vaccines
The Trump administration is considering an executive order addressing vaccines and autism as soon as next week, according to people familiar with the discussions, potentially launching new federal research into whether vaccines play a role in autism despite extensive scientific evidence finding no causal link. The options under consideration include both prospective studies and retrospective analyses, according to a Bloomberg report. The timing and substance of the order remain subject to change.
The effort follows President Donald Trump’s recent public push for HHS secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to investigate what Trump described as the “root cause” of autism. During a cabinet meeting last week, Trump asked Kennedy about the administration’s progress on autism research. Kennedy responded that the department would provide an answer, according to the report.
The potential order would add to a series of Trump administration actions involving autism and vaccines. Trump has previously sought to reduce the number of vaccines recommended for children, while Kennedy has moved to alter federal vaccine policy and the composition of the advisory committee responsible for recommending immunizations. Some of those efforts have faced legal challenges.
Scientific evidence and decades of research, however, have found no link between childhood vaccines and autism, while researchers have not identified a single cause of autism, Bloomberg notes.
In 9/2025, FDA took two actions against autism, first ordering a label change for acetaminophen (Tylenol) to reflect evidence suggesting that its use by pregnant women may be associated with an increased risk of neurological conditions such as autism and attention deficit in children, and second approving leucovorin calcium tablets for patients with cerebral folate deficiency (CFD), a neurological condition that affects folate transport into the brain. “Individuals with cerebral folate deficiency have been observed to have developmental delays with autistic features (e.g., challenges with social communication, sensory processing, and repetitive behaviors), seizures, and problems with movement and coordination,” the agency said.
“The FDA is taking action to make parents and doctors aware of a considerable body of evidence about potential risks associated with acetaminophen,” then-FDA commissioner Marty Makary was quoted in a release as saying. “Even with this body of evidence, the choice still belongs with parents. The precautionary principle may lead many to avoid using acetaminophen during pregnancy, especially since most low-grade fevers don’t require treatment. It remains reasonable, however, for pregnant women to use acetaminophen in certain scenarios.”