September 25, 2025 • 8 mins
There’s been a significant increase in pregnant mothers using other drugs in addition to acetaminophen
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Your questions, Brian's answers. It's time for today's You and
A of the day. This is the Brian mud Show.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Today's QNA if not a cee demnifin What's behind the
rise of autism? This is brought to you by Mum
Listen ashes check Mark collections. Each day I future a
listener question that is sent by one of these methods.
You may email me Brian Mudd at iHeartMedia dot com,
hit me up on social ats Brian Mud Radio. They
also use the iHeartRadio talk back feature we love It.
(00:34):
If you love us, just go into the app. Make
us your number one preset Brian Mudshow Podcast number two preset.
While you're in there, look for the little microphone button.
See it, tap it. You may lay down a message
right there, maybe for a future Q and A. Today's
note This Hi, Brian, thanks for all your hard work
and dedication. I understand there's almost a fivefold increase in
autism spectrum disorder since the year two thousand. What increase
(00:57):
has there been in more severe levels levels two or
three requiring substantial or very substantial support and given the
potential for aceta metafin to be a cause or partial
cause for this increase. I would expect a significant increase
in tialent all use among pregnant women during this time period. However,
all the data I have found shows relatively negligible changes
in either direction and probably stable use over this time
(01:20):
What data is RFK using to show a significant increase
in tilent all use?
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Okay, excellent questions.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
As the debate over the HHS recommendations against the use
of acetamnifn predominantly for pregnant women continues, this is a
lot of ground tocover. So I'm going to start by
answering your question about the increase in advanced to autism
cases and what that's been over time. Using the CDC's
(01:48):
Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring database, here's what we know
about those advanced cases, those that are level two and three.
We know that they have also been rising significantly as well.
This is based on advanced cases per one thousand kids. Okay,
(02:08):
So per one thousand children in two thousand, three point
four children out of every one thousand were diagnosed with
advanced autism. By twenty sixteen, that was up to six
point one cases. By twenty eighteen, it was up to
(02:28):
eight point one, and then twenty twenty two, the most
recent information we have up to twelve point eight. What
this shows is a three hundred and seventy seven percent
increase in advanced cases of diagnosed autism over the previous
twenty two years, and that increase tracks almost exactly with
(02:52):
the overall increase in diagnosed autism cases, which have grown
from one and one hundred and fifty children in two
thousand to one in thirty eight cases.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Most recently, or one in thirty one.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
I should say, advanced cases have risen from one in
two hundred and ninety four children in two thousand to
one in seventy eight most recently. So what I think
this comparison shows that's especially instructive.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
I think it.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Dispels a lot of the thoughts that the increase just
due to more awareness, or maybe just continuing to expand
that spectrum, or maybe some overzealous doctors that are diagnosing
things that maybe would have gone unnoticed before. Because there's
no doubt when you're talking about advanced to autism that
(03:46):
was something that the CDC and their reporting had a
very firm grasp of. In the medical establishment as well.
For that matter, back in two thousand, back in twenty sixteen,
back in twenty eighteen, and yet most recently look at
what we've seen with just their huge increase, but also
the rapid rise that shows no end in sight.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
So what does go on here? Okay?
Speaker 2 (04:15):
In terms of the research that was provided by RFK
Junior and the Department of Health and Human Services leading
to the Department's recommendation against the use of acetamenifin, there's
a detailed analysis of this with a lengthy fact sheet review.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
By my account, there were at least twenty.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Studies reviewed as part of the analysis and making the
recommendation about that recommendation, by the way, a lot of
people are kind of confused coming out of Monday what
that actually was.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
The recommendation ultimately is this, this announcement was made.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
What it does is has the FDA issuing a label
change for acetaminifin, which is tailanol's active ingredient, to reflect
evidence suggesting its use may be associated with an increased
risk for autism and ADHD in children has of course
when taken by pregnant women.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Okay, So for everything that's happened here, the effective change
is that you're going to get this label change all right,
so that is what's different.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Now.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
With that being said, as we take a look at
what has been different. While a see the menifine usage
hasnt spiked over the decades, usage of just about everything
else has. There's been a significant increase in the use
(05:40):
of medications by pregnant women since two thousand, driven by
factors such as rising maternal age, higher prevalence of chronic
conditions specifically diabetes, obesity, and mental health disorders, and expanded
indications for certain drugs like antidepressants and opioids. And by
(06:00):
the way, the trend is evident in both prescription and
overall medicine use, and there is more polypharmacy going on
than any point previous, meaning multiple medications. There is data
that supports this, and studies across the US, Canada, Europe,
and Denmark, but specifically driving down into the US data
(06:24):
to give you an idea of the view of the
possible here. Prior to two thousand, only around a third
of pregnant women were on prescribed drugs heading into their pregnancy.
Most recently that numbers jumped to.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
What do you think it is? It's ninety percent, say
Joel shaking aside, because earlier this morning, you'd asked what
I thought. I was thinking maybe three quarters, you know,
seventy five percent. Ninety is just yeah, ninety is just incredible.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Though, right, So, almost all pregnant women are on some
kind of prescribed medication during that pregnancy. What's more is
that most often there are multiple medications that are in use,
and so this is an extremely important context that was
touched on by the administration and making the recommendation. See
(07:17):
it may be the case that using recommended of levels
of acetamenifin on its own during pregnancy hasn't contributed to
the spike and autism cases, but perhaps it's interaction with
the rise in other medications that are now being taken
by pregnant mothers during the pregnancy present a problem that's
(07:39):
an unknown because that kind of thing hasn't been studied.
When breaking this down, here's what we do know. The
rise in advance to autism cases is consistent with the
overall increase in diagnosed cases. A Stata menifit usage is
common among pregnant mothers, and usage levels appear to be
relatively consistent. There's been a significant increase in pregnant others
(08:04):
using other drugs in addition.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
To a setomenifin.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
So, with that information in hand, reasonable deductions may be made.
It may well be the case that if women weren't
waiting as long to have children, which has been a
growing trend, and we're generally in better health heading into
the pregnancy, the spike in autism maybe wouldn't be what
we've seen. It's logical enough, but given that it is
(08:31):
the case, and that often medications and use for would
be mothers weren't in use previously. Could also be the
case that adding a set of menifin into that mixture
in pregnancy is one drug too many.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
That is also logical
Your questions, Brian's answers. It's time for today's You and
A of the day. This is the Brian mud Show.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Today's QNA if not a cee demnifin What's behind the
rise of autism? This is brought to you by Mum
Listen ashes check Mark collections. Each day I future a
listener question that is sent by one of these methods.
You may email me Brian Mudd at iHeartMedia dot com,
hit me up on social ats Brian Mud Radio. They
also use the iHeartRadio talk back feature we love It.
(00:34):
If you love us, just go into the app. Make
us your number one preset Brian Mudshow Podcast number two preset.
While you're in there, look for the little microphone button.
See it, tap it. You may lay down a message
right there, maybe for a future Q and A. Today's
note This Hi, Brian, thanks for all your hard work
and dedication. I understand there's almost a fivefold increase in
autism spectrum disorder since the year two thousand. What increase
(00:57):
has there been in more severe levels levels two or
three requiring substantial or very substantial support and given the
potential for aceta metafin to be a cause or partial
cause for this increase. I would expect a significant increase
in tialent all use among pregnant women during this time period. However,
all the data I have found shows relatively negligible changes
in either direction and probably stable use over this time
(01:20):
What data is RFK using to show a significant increase
in tilent all use?
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Okay, excellent questions.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
As the debate over the HHS recommendations against the use
of acetamnifn predominantly for pregnant women continues, this is a
lot of ground tocover. So I'm going to start by
answering your question about the increase in advanced to autism
cases and what that's been over time. Using the CDC's
(01:48):
Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring database, here's what we know
about those advanced cases, those that are level two and three.
We know that they have also been rising significantly as well.
This is based on advanced cases per one thousand kids. Okay,
(02:08):
So per one thousand children in two thousand, three point
four children out of every one thousand were diagnosed with
advanced autism. By twenty sixteen, that was up to six
point one cases. By twenty eighteen, it was up to
(02:28):
eight point one, and then twenty twenty two, the most
recent information we have up to twelve point eight. What
this shows is a three hundred and seventy seven percent
increase in advanced cases of diagnosed autism over the previous
twenty two years, and that increase tracks almost exactly with
(02:52):
the overall increase in diagnosed autism cases, which have grown
from one and one hundred and fifty children in two
thousand to one in thirty eight cases.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Most recently, or one in thirty one.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
I should say, advanced cases have risen from one in
two hundred and ninety four children in two thousand to
one in seventy eight most recently. So what I think
this comparison shows that's especially instructive.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
I think it.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Dispels a lot of the thoughts that the increase just
due to more awareness, or maybe just continuing to expand
that spectrum, or maybe some overzealous doctors that are diagnosing
things that maybe would have gone unnoticed before. Because there's
no doubt when you're talking about advanced to autism that
(03:46):
was something that the CDC and their reporting had a
very firm grasp of. In the medical establishment as well.
For that matter, back in two thousand, back in twenty sixteen,
back in twenty eighteen, and yet most recently look at
what we've seen with just their huge increase, but also
the rapid rise that shows no end in sight.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
So what does go on here? Okay?
Speaker 2 (04:15):
In terms of the research that was provided by RFK
Junior and the Department of Health and Human Services leading
to the Department's recommendation against the use of acetamenifin, there's
a detailed analysis of this with a lengthy fact sheet review.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
By my account, there were at least twenty.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Studies reviewed as part of the analysis and making the
recommendation about that recommendation, by the way, a lot of
people are kind of confused coming out of Monday what
that actually was.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
The recommendation ultimately is this, this announcement was made.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
What it does is has the FDA issuing a label
change for acetaminifin, which is tailanol's active ingredient, to reflect
evidence suggesting its use may be associated with an increased
risk for autism and ADHD in children has of course
when taken by pregnant women.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Okay, So for everything that's happened here, the effective change
is that you're going to get this label change all right,
so that is what's different.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Now.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
With that being said, as we take a look at
what has been different. While a see the menifine usage
hasnt spiked over the decades, usage of just about everything
else has. There's been a significant increase in the use
(05:40):
of medications by pregnant women since two thousand, driven by
factors such as rising maternal age, higher prevalence of chronic
conditions specifically diabetes, obesity, and mental health disorders, and expanded
indications for certain drugs like antidepressants and opioids. And by
(06:00):
the way, the trend is evident in both prescription and
overall medicine use, and there is more polypharmacy going on
than any point previous, meaning multiple medications. There is data
that supports this, and studies across the US, Canada, Europe,
and Denmark, but specifically driving down into the US data
(06:24):
to give you an idea of the view of the
possible here. Prior to two thousand, only around a third
of pregnant women were on prescribed drugs heading into their pregnancy.
Most recently that numbers jumped to.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
What do you think it is? It's ninety percent, say
Joel shaking aside, because earlier this morning, you'd asked what
I thought. I was thinking maybe three quarters, you know,
seventy five percent. Ninety is just yeah, ninety is just incredible.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Though, right, So, almost all pregnant women are on some
kind of prescribed medication during that pregnancy. What's more is
that most often there are multiple medications that are in use,
and so this is an extremely important context that was
touched on by the administration and making the recommendation. See
(07:17):
it may be the case that using recommended of levels
of acetamenifin on its own during pregnancy hasn't contributed to
the spike and autism cases, but perhaps it's interaction with
the rise in other medications that are now being taken
by pregnant mothers during the pregnancy present a problem that's
(07:39):
an unknown because that kind of thing hasn't been studied.
When breaking this down, here's what we do know. The
rise in advance to autism cases is consistent with the
overall increase in diagnosed cases. A Stata menifit usage is
common among pregnant mothers, and usage levels appear to be
relatively consistent. There's been a significant increase in pregnant others
(08:04):
using other drugs in addition.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
To a setomenifin.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
So, with that information in hand, reasonable deductions may be made.
It may well be the case that if women weren't
waiting as long to have children, which has been a
growing trend, and we're generally in better health heading into
the pregnancy, the spike in autism maybe wouldn't be what
we've seen. It's logical enough, but given that it is
(08:31):
the case, and that often medications and use for would
be mothers weren't in use previously. Could also be the
case that adding a set of menifin into that mixture
in pregnancy is one drug too many.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
That is also logical
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