The Poison Pill to End the MMR Is Tylenol

Drug naming and Tylenol basics

• Several comments clarify that “Tylenol” is a brand; the drug is acetaminophen (US) / paracetamol (international), with a distinct IUPAC name and structural identifiers.
• A mini-primer explains four naming layers: structure-based (InChI/SMILES), IUPAC, generic/INN names, and brand names, which vary by country.

Reactions to Trump’s Tylenol/autism claim

• Many see the press conference as another example of alarming presidential ignorance, comparing it to the earlier “disinfectant/bleach” remarks.
• Some note mainstream coverage tends to “sanewash” his statements into bland headlines, muting how extreme or incoherent they sound in full.
• Others argue that blaming Tylenol is less dangerous than his prior anti-vaccine rhetoric, though still harmful to public understanding.

Speculation about policy consequences for MMR/Vaccines

• A central theme is that labeling Tylenol as an “autism cause” could be a pretext:
  • Emphasize MMR-related fever and febrile seizures.
  • Declare there is “no safe fever reducer,” then narrow MMR recommendations and insurer coverage.
• Some commenters find this plausible and worrying; others think it overestimates the administration’s strategic sophistication and see more incompetence than 5D chess.

Tylenol safety: children and pregnancy

• Multiple replies correct claims about dosing: children’s formulations are much lower than 500 mg; dosing is weight-based, often via liquid. Used correctly, it’s considered very safe.
• Several point out acetaminophen’s narrow margin between effective and toxic doses and its role in liver failure if misused.
• On pregnancy, links show cautious language and ongoing debate. Some see manufacturer warnings as “cover your ass,” others as a serious signal to consult doctors. No clear autism link is established in the thread.

Broader politics and culture war

• Long subthreads debate why Trump retains support: media bubbles, voters prioritizing other issues (immigration, “anti-woke” stances) over competence, and dissatisfaction with Democrats’ candidates, primaries, and positioning on immigration and culture issues.
• Concerns are raised about erosion of trust in institutions, attacks on scientific and academic expertise, and creeping authoritarianism.

Media, moderation, and what to do

• Meta-discussion on this submission being flagged: some defend heavy flagging of divisive political content to keep HN usable; others worry that “divisive” labeling suppresses factual rebuttals to misinformation.
• Outside HN, several advocate limiting news/social media consumption to preserve sanity, while others argue that disengagement cedes ground to harmful narratives that translate into real policy, especially on vaccines.