The FDA’s promotion of Leucovorin—a decades-old generic medicine—as a potential treatment for certain autism-like symptoms is sparking strong public interest.
Parents of autistic children have flooded clinics seeking the drug after it was tied to a rare condition called Cerebral folate deficiency (CFD). Yet medical experts caution that the evidence to support its use in autism is thin.
Although CFD affects about 1 in 1 million children and can include autism-like features, many observers say conflating the two risks misleading care. Researchers say large, high-quality clinical trials for autism remain lacking.
Meanwhile, a growing online community of parents claims benefits from leucovorin—despite medical bodies advising against its routine use for autism until further evidence emerges.
