In response to the claims made by the federal government on September 22 regarding an alleged link between autism and acetaminophen, The Arc of Massachusetts CEO Maura Sullivan has been consulted by news sources and featured in coverage of this ongoing story. We will update this post with new stories as they are published.
The Arc’s official statement on this topic was released on September 22 and can be found here.
WBZ: Massachusetts mothers push back after Trump links autism to Tylenol
Maura Sullivan is CEO of The Arc of Massachusetts, the leading advocacy organization for people with autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and their families. She never took Tylenol during her three pregnancies, yet two of her sons are “on the more profound side” of the autism spectrum. Sullivan says mothers deserve clear, calm guidance – and support.
“On one hand he’s talking about the devastation, and on the other hand he’s cutting Medicaid and special education and even funding to NIH. We just need the supports and the accommodations to live safely and with inclusion within our community,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan did say the announcement of the leucovorin as a treatment for some autism symptoms is hopeful – and underscores the importance of funding for National Institute of Health research.
Boston 25 News: Boston doctor weighs in on Trump administration linking Tylenol to autism risk
It’s a similar thought Maura Sullivan had when she first heard about the announcement.
“Saying that Tylenol causes autism is making quite a leap,” Sullivan said.
As the CEO of The Arc Massachusetts and the mother of two children with autism, Sullivan feels more research needs to be done, and the stigma still needs to be addressed.
“I’m concerned for parents. I want to make sure that we do not blame parents, that we stop this cycle of stigma and blame,” Sullivan said.
Maura Sullivan, CEO of The Arc of Massachusetts, an autism services agency based in Waltham, and the parent of two adult children with profound autism, said her family has not tried leucovorin, but she is open to it.
She called the early findings around leucovorin “hopeful” but urged patience.
“It’s definitely hopeful, but it still has a process to go through like many of the other treatments,” she said.
Boston.com: Trump links Tylenol use in pregnancy to autism. Local experts urge caution.
Maura Sullivan, CEO of The Arc of Massachusetts – a chapter of the largest national organization advocating for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities – called for a return to scientific fact, not unverified speculation.
“We must ground decisions related to public health in sound science and evidence, not on rhetoric or opinions lacking the support of research. The correlation between acetaminophen and autism has not been proven,” Sullivan said in a statement.
She emphasized that medical decisions should be made between patients and their healthcare providers, not based on political statements. “Families, particularly mothers, deserve clear guidance rather than cycles of blame and guilt,” she added.
