health
Trump and RFK Jr touted leucovorin as a treatment for autism. The FDA quietly walked it back
Outpatient prescriptions for the drug increased 71% after the announcement, but the FDA later approved it only for folate deficiency
TL;DR
- Donald Trump and Robert F Kennedy Jr promoted leucovorin as a treatment for autism, leading to a significant increase in prescriptions.
- The FDA later approved leucovorin only for cerebral folate deficiency, a rare condition, appearing to retract its earlier statements about autism treatment.
- Doctors and experts criticize the promotion of leucovorin for autism due to a lack of strong scientific evidence and potential harm from unproven therapies.
- The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend leucovorin for autistic children due to limited evidence.
- Critics argue that promoting unproven treatments erodes public trust in health officials and the government.