NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?
SUMMARY
President Donald Trump tied the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy to autism and made several other claims about vaccines. William Brangham discussed those claims and the concerns about what the president said with Alycia Halladay of the Autism Science Foundation and Jennifer Nuzzo of Brown University’s School of Public Health.
View the transcript of the story.
News alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- Who are the groups or individuals President Trump and his health team talked about during the press conference?
- When was the press conference held?
- What two claims included in this segment were made during the press conference by President Donald Trump and Secretary Robert F. Kennedy regarding autism?
- What does the evidence say regarding Tylenol (acetaminophen) causing autism in babies, according to Alycia Hallady, Chief Science Officer, Autism Science Foundation, and the drug, leucovorin, as a possible treatment for children who have been diagnosed with autism?
- Why do Hallady and Jennifer Nuzzo say they are concerned about the statements that came out of the press conference?
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Jennifer Nuzzo of Brown University’s School of Public Health called the press conference "irresponsible" and said, "Nothing that I heard should be interpreted as medical advice."
- How would you evaluate Nuzzo and Hallady's claims?
- How would you evaluate Trump and Kennedy's claims?
Media literacy: Jennifer Nuzzo said, "We saw an earlier report that came out of HHS [Health and Human Services] in which it was clear that some AI tool was used to kind of falsely summarize the evidence. And I really fear that that's the level of care and concern that's gone into these conclusions."
How could you find out more about this report? How could you find out more about how the government uses AI in scientific research?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
Reflect on the ramifications of the autism story you just watched. Read the article, Tylenol maker shares rebound a day after Trump’s unfounded claims about its safety, which states, "Shares of Tylenol maker Kenvue bounced back sharply before the opening bell Tuesday, a day after President Donald Trump promoted unproven and in some cases discredited ties between Tylenol, vaccines and autism."
- In addition to the health and economic ramifications of the Trump administration's announcements at the press conference, what other effects could such news have on society?
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