Over the past year, United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made many claims regarding topics in medicine. These assertions have been discussed by professionals working in medicine, and it is important that LACES students are able to receive reliable information that goes beyond the statements made by our administration.
One statement that there is a link between acetaminophen (Tylenol) use during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders in children has raised concerns. Dr. Sarah Greene, a pediatrician at Ceders-Sinai hospital, discussed those allegations.
“It’s not the Tylenol but rather the infections causing problems… Many well-run studies show no link between Tylenol and disabilities in children,” said Greene.
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has stated that there is no link between Tylenol use during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders. As far as LACES students should be concerned, using a controlled amount of Tylenol when needed can be done without apprehension.
Since the pandemic, over a billion people have received the COVID-19 vaccine. Recently, statements have been made about the dangers of vaccines that have left many concerned and curious about the long term effects, such as autism and death, after receiving the shot. According to Greene, there is no direct connection between the vaccine and autism or death. The Annenberg Public Policy Center also states that for most patients the COVID-19 Vaccine is safe and there is no research to back the idea that it has a connection to autism.
There should be very little worry about any side effects from the vaccine, but students are encouraged to make their own decisions to receive the vaccine or not and to discuss the decisions with health professionals.
There have also been claims that chemicals in the environment that disrupt hormones might be linked to gender dysphoria in children. He points to studies where certain chemicals changed the gender characteristics of frogs and suggests they could also affect kids.
“Some studies have shown that certain chemicals are endocrine disruptors and can affect hormones, but this however has no connection to what gender a child identifies with,” said Greene.
Lastly, Kennedy has stated that the use of antidepressants and SSRI medication lead to violence and school shootings.
This claim may have sparked some concern for any student who uses antidepressant medication. Although there are side effects to every medication, SSRIs are widely considered safe and have very little relation to aggression.
“There may be risks to treatments, but if the benefit of treatment outweighs the risk, the doctor and patient will decide to proceed with treatment, checking in frequently and adjusting as needed,” said Greene.
As medical topics continue to be discussed, it’s important that students do their own research on these topics. Speaking with professionals and consulting trusted health organizations are things that students are encouraged to do so that they can make decisions based on their own research.