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What is the story about?
US President Donald Trump recently suggested a link between the painkiller paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen, and autism. Trump stated that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved leucovorin, a chemotherapy drug, as a treatment for autism symptoms.
The US President urged women to avoid acetaminophen during the entire pregnancy’. The FDA has approved leucovorin for treating cerebral folate deficiency, a condition associated with autism.
Here is all you need to know about leucovorin.
What is leucovorin?
Leucovorin, also known as folinic acid, is a form of folate (vitamin B9) that's essential for cell growth, immune function, and healthy red blood cells. The
FDA approved it for counteracting the toxic effects of certain cancer drugs. It is also used to treat specific types of anaemia and to enhance the effects of other chemotherapy drugs.
The drug, which can be taken orally or intravenously, enhances the effects of fluorouracil. According to the website of the United States Food and Drug Administration, more than a half-dozen companies manufacture it. It is also used to mitigate the harmful effects of methotrexate, another chemotherapy medication.
Why is folate important?
Folate plays a crucial role in:
Cell Growth and Division: Folate helps cells grow and divide, supporting overall development.
Immune System: Folate supports immune function, helping to prevent illnesses.
Healthy Red Blood Cells: Folate is necessary for producing healthy red blood cells.
Pregnancy: Adequate folate intake during pregnancy prevents neural tube defects.
To help avoid neural tube abnormalities, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all pregnant women supplement their diet with 400 mcg of folic acid daily.
Link between folate and autism
Some studies have identified a link between low maternal folate levels during early pregnancy and an increased risk of autism in children.
Additionally, up to three-fourths of children with autism may have genetic variations that impair folate processing or autoimmune disorders that block folate transport to the brain, according to studies from researchers at SUNY Downstate Medical Centre in Brooklyn.
Other small studies have related these findings to more severe types of the disease, implying that treatment with leucovorin can enhance verbal skills, social skills, and irritability in these children.
However, the science of leucovorin and autism “is still in very early stages, and more studies are necessary before a definitive conclusion can be reached,” according to the Autism Science Foundation.
Speaking with Reuters, Dr David Mandell, a professor of psychiatry and autism researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, said, “Leucovorin might well be a possible treatment for some children with autism. But the evidence we have supporting it is really, really weak.”
What did Trump say on paracetamol and autism?
In his remarks on Monday, Trump said, “Taking Tylenol is not good … All pregnant women should talk to their doctors about limiting the use of this medication while pregnant. Don’t take Tylenol. There’s no downside.”
The US president also admitted that it was his personal theory and said, “I’m not a doctor, but I’m giving my opinion.”
In the same briefing, his administration announced a treatment for autism. Trump and Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr stated that the FDA will approve leucovorin for autism.
RFK Jr further touted it as an “exciting therapy that may benefit large numbers of children who suffer from autism.”
The US President urged women to avoid acetaminophen during the entire pregnancy’. The FDA has approved leucovorin for treating cerebral folate deficiency, a condition associated with autism.
Here is all you need to know about leucovorin.
What is leucovorin?
Leucovorin, also known as folinic acid, is a form of folate (vitamin B9) that's essential for cell growth, immune function, and healthy red blood cells. The
The drug, which can be taken orally or intravenously, enhances the effects of fluorouracil. According to the website of the United States Food and Drug Administration, more than a half-dozen companies manufacture it. It is also used to mitigate the harmful effects of methotrexate, another chemotherapy medication.
Why is folate important?
Cell Growth and Division: Folate helps cells grow and divide, supporting overall development.
Immune System: Folate supports immune function, helping to prevent illnesses.
Healthy Red Blood Cells: Folate is necessary for producing healthy red blood cells.
Pregnancy: Adequate folate intake during pregnancy prevents neural tube defects.
To help avoid neural tube abnormalities, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all pregnant women supplement their diet with 400 mcg of folic acid daily.
Link between folate and autism
Some studies have identified a link between low maternal folate levels during early pregnancy and an increased risk of autism in children.
Additionally, up to three-fourths of children with autism may have genetic variations that impair folate processing or autoimmune disorders that block folate transport to the brain, according to studies from researchers at SUNY Downstate Medical Centre in Brooklyn.
Other small studies have related these findings to more severe types of the disease, implying that treatment with leucovorin can enhance verbal skills, social skills, and irritability in these children.
However, the science of leucovorin and autism “is still in very early stages, and more studies are necessary before a definitive conclusion can be reached,” according to the Autism Science Foundation.
Speaking with Reuters, Dr David Mandell, a professor of psychiatry and autism researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, said, “Leucovorin might well be a possible treatment for some children with autism. But the evidence we have supporting it is really, really weak.”
What did Trump say on paracetamol and autism?
In his remarks on Monday, Trump said, “Taking Tylenol is not good … All pregnant women should talk to their doctors about limiting the use of this medication while pregnant. Don’t take Tylenol. There’s no downside.”
The US president also admitted that it was his personal theory and said, “I’m not a doctor, but I’m giving my opinion.”
In the same briefing, his administration announced a treatment for autism. Trump and Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr stated that the FDA will approve leucovorin for autism.
RFK Jr further touted it as an “exciting therapy that may benefit large numbers of children who suffer from autism.”
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