Autism, Blame, and the Power of a Microphone

The science isn’t settled. But the shame is already spreading.

It starts, as it often does, with a press conference— a podium, a seal, and a statement broadcast across the nation with the full authority of the United States presidency behind it.

This week, the White House suggested that acetaminophen — the most common over-the-counter pain reliever in America — may be linked to autism when taken during pregnancy. In…