Florida weighs new health guidance, university rankings shift, and firearm concerns spark debate

State Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo said Florida isn’t ready to make recommendations on the use of acetaminophen by pregnant women.

But if one comes, Ladapo said it likely will follow Monday’s announcement from the White House that suggested a link between the common painkiller and autism.

“We’re still looking at it,” Ladapo said Wednesday during an appearance in Tampa. “So we may have some more guidance. But we would probably be very much in line with where the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) is.”

President Donald Trump, joined by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services head Mehmet Oz, said Monday the Food and Drug Administration would update drug labeling to discourage the use of acetaminophen, commonly known as Tylenol, by pregnant women. At the same time, the FDA is set to enable the use of leucovorin, a form of vitamin B, as a treatment for autism.

Ladapo said the White House and the FDA are “at a place that is more honest.”

“They acknowledge that not all the studies show harms, but some of them do show relationships,” Ladapo said. “And it isn’t a total explanation for autism by any means, but it does appear to be that it’s reasonable to conclude that it may contribute anything to the prevalence of autism in children. So, you know, not all the studies find that, but some of the studies do. Some of those studies are very good. So I think that their recommendation is the right place to be in terms of discouraging its use.”

But in a statement responding to the White House announcement, Steven J. Fleischman, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said it was “highly unsettling that our federal health agencies are willing to make an announcement that will affect the health and well-being of millions of people without the backing of reliable data.”

Tylenol-maker Kenvue disputed the claims.

“We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism,” Kenvue said in a statement.

SCHOOL GRADES

Florida’s universities mostly maintained their positions in the latest report card from U.S. News & World Report, with Florida Atlantic University moving into the top 100 public schools.

FAU was ranked No. 100, which President Adam Hasner called a “milestone” that was “built over the years.”

On the public school list, the University of Florida held its position at No. 7 from a year ago, Florida State University moved up two spaces to No,. 21, the University of South Florida went from 45 to 43, Florida International held at 46, the University of Central Florida improved four places to 57 and Florida A&M was at 92.

Often disparaged but closely watched, the U.S. News rankings are based on numerous factors, such as graduation rates, retention of first-year students, financial resources for students and class sizes. U.S. News said it tweaked the calculations this year, in part to give a little more weight to retention and graduation rates.

The University of California at Berkeley topped the list for public institutions, followed by the University of California at Los Angeles and the University of Michigan.

Among public and private schools, the University of Florida was ranked No. 30 nationally, while Florida State University was No. 51, the University of South Florida was No. 88 and Florida International University was No. 97.

Princeton University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University topped the national list this year.

SOCIAL MEDIA POST OF THE WEEK: “Remember that part where I said the Republicans in Tallahassee were the ‘dogs who caught the car,’ and haven’t figured out what to do now… This is a direct result of Florida’s Attorney General not understanding the law or the implications of his reckless actions.” — Rep. Dan Daley (@DanDaley), D-Coral Springs, responding to Capitol Police toting long guns outside a House committee meeting on Tuesday as a precaution after Attorney General James Uthmeier said a court ruling allows people to openly carry firearms in the state.