On September 22, US President Donald Trump, accompanied by his controversial Secretary of Health, Robert F. Kennedy, said that “acetaminofén (active substance of paracetamol) can be associated with a very high risk of autism.” “We strongly recommend that women limit their use during pregnancy, unless necessary for medical reasons, as a very high fever,” added the president, which, as is known, does not have medical training and claimed to be based, simply, on “common sense”, according to An article of The country.
For Trump, the 400 % increase in the diagnosis of autism in the United States is “to something artificial … something they are taking.” However, the opinion accepted by the scientific community is that the increase is explained by the greater preparation of the specialists and the expansion of the criteria that allow to classify a person within the autistic spectrum.
In the same act, the president announced the support of new research on the disease, with broad budget and the recommendation of the Leucovorinaa variant of folic acid used in certain types of anemia and cancer, as possible treatment. However, the scientific community considers that the available evidence is insufficient and premature to sustain this statement.
It seems almost a constant that scientists take the opposite to Trump. But the New York tycoon has a history of unfortunate statements. For example, in April 2020, in full Covid-19 pandemic, he suggested that disinfecting inject could help fight the virus, something that was widely criticized as irresponsible, according to RTVE.
Kenuve and Cuba: collateral damage
When a president speaks, especially if it is the leader of the most powerful nation in the world, there are always “collateral damage.” In this case, The Kenuve companymultinational producer of Tylenol – the most popular commercial form of paracetamol – saw how their actions lost 17 % of its value in the stock market.
Cuba was also indirectly splashed by controversy. “There is a rumor, that I do not know if it is true, that in Cuba they do not have tylenol because they have no money for it and virtually there is no autism,” Trump said.
The news was replicated in different media, such as The countrythat He dedicated an article To analyze the shortage of medicines on the island. For its part, CNN reported That in Cuba there is not only autism, but the health system has operated specialized clinics and awareness of this development disorder.
The official Cuban media also responded. In CubadebateHE He stressed That the Tylenol-Embarazo combination guaranteed to the White House “an entire news cycle, although the scientific community denied it in minutes”, and stressed that the “economic fence” is the main cause of scarcity.
Paracetamol in Cuba
Anyone who knows the reality of the island minimally knows that paracetamol is an extremely popular medicine. Despite the difficulties of access to products from the basic health picture, it remains consumed and marketed, Even by ways that can be risky.
The drug, marketed as Tylenol since 1955 in the United States, It was first synthesized in 1878 and used since 1883. Its action consists in inhibiting the synthesis of prostaglandins, substances involved in pain and fever.
Thanks to the information provided by a pharmacologist colleague, I was able to confirm that the production in tablets of this medicine in Cuba corresponds to the EUB Solmed of the Medsol company in Havana and the East Laboratory in Santiago de Cuba; in syrup, to the Oral Liquid Laboratory in Bayamo; and in suppository, to the “Roberto Escudero” laboratory in Havana.
Their Main indications They are like antipyretic – to lower fever – and analgesic – for minor and moderate pain – and constitutes an alternative to non -steroidal anti -inflammatories (such as ibuprofen). Its use is considered safe for adults, pregnant children and women, provided that doses and medical recommendations are respected.
During pregnancy, medical guides agree that their use is safe, with caution in the first three months. Interrupting it without needing could generate more risks than benefits, as fever and pain significantly affect the health of the pregnant woman. The toxic dose is estimated at more than 5 grams per day, and even less in alcoholic patients, due to the risk of liver failure.
Autism in Cuba
Autism, or autistic spectrum syndromes, They are disabilities of neurodevelopment with strong genetic basethat condition problems in communication and interaction, as well as repetitive or restrictive behaviors or interests.
According to an article from Cubadebate Posted in April of this year, On the island there are about 3500 people diagnosed with some spectrum syndromeof which 60 % are men. This implies a prevalence of 0.36 per thousand people, far from the international figures of 1 per 100 and, particularly, from 1 per 31 in the United States.
Cuba has more than 300 specialists in diagnosis and attention, and seven multidisciplinary teams in five provinces. Although it is an important advance, the country is still distant from the standards of nations with greater scientific development, also facing serious difficulties in the health system.
As awareness and promotion consolidate, diagnoses are likely to increase. This is key, because family taboos persist that delay the detection and improvement of patients’ quality of life through specialized care.
Sayings, facts and consequences
The sayings, and above all the facts, of an American president are not casual. Behind there is a structured agenda for certain groups inside and outside their country.
Will the doctors leave the paracetamol after this? Not probably: scientific evidence continues to endorse its use, and there are no safe and effective alternatives for pain relief and fever, especially during pregnancy.
However, these statements do have implications: Trump has a broad audience that follows his recommendations to the letter, ignoring the opinion of experts. In addition, they strengthen the influence of Robert F. Kennedy, who leads anti -vacuum groups responsible for the decrease in vaccination coverage in the United States, with already visible consequences: the resurgence of measles, which could affect millions and Cause hundreds of thousands of deaths If the trend is not reversed.
