Last Monday, Donald Trump spoke against the use of Tylenol for women during pregnancy, claiming that it causes autism. His solution: for women to “tough it out.”
After struggling through a few attempts to pronounce the name of the only active ingredient in the product—acetaminophen—Trump paused to evaluate the term.
While there is material to defend both his claim and its opposite, the overwhelming majority of scientists have concluded that Tylenol is safe. As one of the most common over–the–counter drugs, people have been taking Tylenol for general pain relief since the 1950s. Many major U.S. news sources are pointing to the lack of factual, scientific evidence to support Trump’s take on the matter.
Misinformation should not be allowed to shape public health policy.
The majority of healthcare providers actively working in the field believe that it is safe for pregnant women to take Tylenol, and even recommend it. Acetaminophen is a safe way to reduce fevers, which are proven to be dangerous to unborn children during pregnancy. In many cases it cannot only relieve pain for the woman, but also help maintain the health and safety of the child. Acetaminophen is also the only approved over–the–counter drug for pain and fever–reduction during pregnancy.
“When it comes to hearing conflicting information from politicians and scientists regarding medicine, I tend to trust scientists more,” said English education major Dan Gannon. “Scientists actively study within these subjects and, most of the time, are well familiarized with the information they are talking about. Politicians, on the other hand, may say they have credible sources, but do not always cite these sources. Scientists have research to back up their answers.”
In the face of turbulent political times, it is responsible to maintain an understanding of the motivations behind every claim. This allows for all Americans to provide themselves with a stronger knowledge base when evaluating the news.
Many college students believe that doing personal research is the best way to figure out the truth. It’s not new information that people should fact–check any claim before believing it.
“I believe average citizens should do their own research … and find credible .gov or .edu websites that state the true facts rather than opinions or misinformation,” said Gannon.
The importance of conducting research in nonpartisan and scientific sources cannot be understated, especially in today’s political climate. There are free online sources that will provide the political alignment and factual accuracy of news sources.
The Media Bias Fact Check website is one of the most widely accepted tools by people from both primary political parties. This source is completely independently funded, showing that it doesn’t have external pressure from corporations or political organizations leaning on either side.
Trump’s speech regarding Tylenol, vaccines, and autism brings up more than just the medical issues he discusses.
“The spreading of misinformation on topics such as Tylenol makes me sad for the current political state. It worries me that false information may continue to spread without proper research,” said Gannon. “It makes me wonder what other topics may be brought up and said without proper evidence.”
After struggling through a few attempts to pronounce the name of the only active ingredient in the product—acetaminophen—Trump paused to evaluate the term.
While there is material to defend both his claim and its opposite, the overwhelming majority of scientists have concluded that Tylenol is safe. As one of the most common over–the–counter drugs, people have been taking Tylenol for general pain relief since the 1950s. Many major U.S. news sources are pointing to the lack of factual, scientific evidence to support Trump’s take on the matter.
Misinformation should not be allowed to shape public health policy.
The majority of healthcare providers actively working in the field believe that it is safe for pregnant women to take Tylenol, and even recommend it. Acetaminophen is a safe way to reduce fevers, which are proven to be dangerous to unborn children during pregnancy. In many cases it cannot only relieve pain for the woman, but also help maintain the health and safety of the child. Acetaminophen is also the only approved over–the–counter drug for pain and fever–reduction during pregnancy.
“When it comes to hearing conflicting information from politicians and scientists regarding medicine, I tend to trust scientists more,” said English education major Dan Gannon. “Scientists actively study within these subjects and, most of the time, are well familiarized with the information they are talking about. Politicians, on the other hand, may say they have credible sources, but do not always cite these sources. Scientists have research to back up their answers.”
In the face of turbulent political times, it is responsible to maintain an understanding of the motivations behind every claim. This allows for all Americans to provide themselves with a stronger knowledge base when evaluating the news.
Many college students believe that doing personal research is the best way to figure out the truth. It’s not new information that people should fact–check any claim before believing it.
“I believe average citizens should do their own research … and find credible .gov or .edu websites that state the true facts rather than opinions or misinformation,” said Gannon.
The importance of conducting research in nonpartisan and scientific sources cannot be understated, especially in today’s political climate. There are free online sources that will provide the political alignment and factual accuracy of news sources.
The Media Bias Fact Check website is one of the most widely accepted tools by people from both primary political parties. This source is completely independently funded, showing that it doesn’t have external pressure from corporations or political organizations leaning on either side.
Trump’s speech regarding Tylenol, vaccines, and autism brings up more than just the medical issues he discusses.
“The spreading of misinformation on topics such as Tylenol makes me sad for the current political state. It worries me that false information may continue to spread without proper research,” said Gannon. “It makes me wonder what other topics may be brought up and said without proper evidence.”
This is not a singular issue. Trump’s comments about Tylenol show how easily misinformation can be spread when political figures speak outside of their fields. The debate about medicine has further shown Americans why they must understand where their news and information comes from.
While it’s easy to become polarized, it’s important to focus on turning to credible sources and fact checking information and biases. Research is not a party issue, it is a necessary staple of knowing what to believe. When we ground our opinions in science rather than speculation, we allow for more constructive conversations and work to reduce the divisiveness in today’s political climate.
While it’s easy to become polarized, it’s important to focus on turning to credible sources and fact checking information and biases. Research is not a party issue, it is a necessary staple of knowing what to believe. When we ground our opinions in science rather than speculation, we allow for more constructive conversations and work to reduce the divisiveness in today’s political climate.
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