Tangle Preview - SPECIAL EDITION: Interview with Jill Escher, head of the Escher Fund for Autism.
Sep 24, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Jill Escher, founder of the Escher Fund for Autism and a noted researcher, shares her insights on the controversial link between prenatal acetaminophen use and increased risks of autism and ADHD in children. She critiques recent HHS announcements, arguing they are based on cherry-picked studies and lack scientific rigor. Jill also emphasizes the need for thorough investigation into rising autism rates, asserting that the increase is real and deserves deeper research into its causes.
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Critique Of FDA's Acetaminophen Announcement
- Jill Escher calls the FDA press release linking prenatal acetaminophen to autism unsupported and irresponsible.
- She says the association is weak, likely cherry-picked, and lacks robust scientific backing.
Weak Epidemiology And Plausibility Arguments
- Escher argues acetaminophen epidemiology shows at best tiny associations and larger studies find none.
- She notes lack of temporal and biological plausibility linking prenatal acetaminophen to the autism surge.
Rise In Severe Autism Is Real
- Escher strongly rejects the claim that diagnostic changes fully explain rising autism prevalence.
- She points to long-term administrative data showing large increases in severe autism cases that diagnostic shifts don't account for.