A major step forward in understanding the complex causes of autism risks being overshadowed by political controversy. At a White House event on 22 September, US President Donald Trump claimed — without convincing scientific evidence — that the painkiller acetaminophen (Tylenol) is linked to autism, sparking sharp criticism from researchers.

Yet behind the headlines, there was significant news: the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) will invest $50 million into the Autism Data Science Initiative (ADSI), an ambitious program funding 13 research groups to study how genetic and environmental factors interact in autism.

Projects range from investigations into environmental exposures during pregnancy to experiments on brain cells, as well as efforts to replicate findings to ensure results are robust. “This is where the field needs to be going in searching for the complex causes of autism,” said Helen Tager-Flusberg of Boston University.

While many scientists welcomed the funding and rigorous focus, some recipients expressed concern about being required to complete projects in three years instead of the usual five, and the potential for political interference. Trump’s acetaminophen remarks only heightened those fears. “We should wait until the research happens before announcing an answer,” noted Jason Stein, a neuroscientist at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

A spokesperson for the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) dismissed those worries, calling the initiative “a bold, science-driven effort to deliver meaningful answers more quickly.”