Trump's Statements About Acetaminophen and the Problem of Epistemic Corrections

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Authors: Federico Germani, Giovanni Spitale, Arthur L. Caplan
Cited by: 0

Abstract

Public reactions to Trump's claims linking prenatal acetaminophen use to autism highlight the importance of distinguishing between falsehood and the absence of methodological justification. While current evidence does not establish a causal link, responses framed solely in binary true–false terms may overlook how justification works for reaching evidence-based conclusions. We argue that effective correction should emphasize methodological reliability, thereby strengthening public understanding and trust as evidence evolves. Submitted version; archived here to guarantee Green OA in accordance with the journal's policies: https://openpolicyfinder.jisc.ac.uk/id/publication/1853 The authors do not have access to the published version due to missing read and publish agreements between their University and the publisher.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Misinformation and Its Impacts Academic Publishing and Open Access Epistemology Ethics and Metaphysics

Publication details

Journal / source
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Publication date
11 February 2026
Language
EN