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Trump on autism

Wordsmith

The Guardian is reporting that Trump has just teased that he will be making an important announcement on autism tomorrow (quite how this was relevant in the middle of a eulogy for Charlie Kirk is not clear but that’s the Great Orange Blimp for you). Looks like we can expect mums taking paracetamol during pregnancy to be blamed and folinic acid to be touted as a cure.

Parents Reply Children
  • in reply to Damojo

    It is, in fact, a form of Vitamin B9. In addition to reducing the side effects of some chemo treatments, it is used in the treatment of methanol poisoning, anaemia, and folate deficiency (this last is where the tenuous connection with autism comes in – apparently folate deficiency is found in some autistic people).

  • in reply to Damojo

    I think linking Leucovorin to chemotherapy in the context of autism is just journalism sensationalising the treatment and they are causing needless anxiety.

    There may be no evidence that Leucovorin would treat autism, but sloppy journalism could mean that some people who receive the treatment for other conditions may believe that they are receiving chemotherapy which kills cells by stopping cell division, and it would be killing healthy cells. 

  • in reply to ArchaeC
    ArchaeC said:
    Leucovorin is not a chemotherapy drug

    It's used to reduce the side effects of Methotrexate (a chemo drug) or to enhance the effects of 5-fluorouracil (another chemo drug). So, it is and it isn't (mostly isn't).