The Food and Drug Administation is approving a generic drug for a very rare genetic disorder, but not for autism. On Tuesday, the U.S. agency said the drug helps children and adults who cannot get enough folate into the brain. That's a major turnaround from announcements made at a White House news conference in September. At that event, President Donald Trump and the FDA commissioner said the drug was under review for approval in patients with autism. FDA officials say they narrowed the review to the strongest evidence. They say that evidence supports use only in patients with a specific genetic mutation.
The Trump administration is urging public health agencies to prioritize investigations of vaccine injuries, prescription drug use and autism's causes. The call is part of a new "Make America Healthy Again" report released Tuesday. Overseen by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the report aims to end childhood diseases in the U.S. by refocusing public health on his so-called "MAHA" movement's priorities. The report suggests using personal medical records and health insurance data to investigate diseases and disorders, including autism. It also addresses issues like ultraprocessed food consumption and water quality. And it calls for increased oversight of prescription drug ads, especially those by social media influencers.
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s stark comments about children with autism have splintered a community of millions of people who are living with the disorder. The health secretary asserts children with autism will never pay taxes, hold a job or go out on a date. For some families, Kennedy's remarks are an overdue recognition of the day-to-day difficulties for families with autistic loved ones. To others, Kennedy deeply misrepresents the realities of their disability, provoking concern about his ability to handle a sweeping assessment of the disorder. Kennedy plans to launch a broad-based study of what causes autism, a complex developmental disorder.
