By Ahona Guha

Copyright smh

While the most common response to the Trump administration’s recent announcement that painkillers like Panadol (Tylenol in the US) may cause autism when taken during pregnancy has been to scoff or roll our eyes, for many, it’s no laughing matter.

The claim has left autistic people distraught as their identities have been positioned as a terrible condition to prevent. Though autism has been attacked in this manner before, most notably with Andrew Wakefield’s thoroughly debunked study linking vaccinations to autism, the renewed attacks are likely to cause genuine anguish. It also adds additional anxiety and doubt to pregnant women during one of the most psychologically vulnerable times in their lives.

Our current understanding of autism indicates that it is a biological neurotype that brings both strengths and difficulties, and that with changes to make their environments more affirming and accessible, many autistic people do very well in life. Others will require higher levels of support, but they still have the capacity to have good lives and to find meaning.

It should not have to be said that autistic people are valued members of society, and are far more than a diagnosis to be prevented. But the US secretary of health’s long-running obsession with this issue means that increasingly, we do have to state the obvious.