
Havana, Cuba —
Autism very much exists in Cuba, despite a recent claim by former U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting otherwise.
Cuba’s public healthcare system has long acknowledged autism and offers services for children and adults diagnosed with the condition. Across the island, specialized clinics operate therapy programs, and awareness campaigns are regularly held to educate families. The country has even promoted autism treatment tourism, offering therapies — including programs that involve interaction with dolphins — to foreign families who can pay in hard currency.
Still, at an event in Washington, D.C. on Monday, Trump suggested that Cuba is largely unaffected by autism, a statement easily disproven by accessible medical information. Speaking while encouraging pregnant women to avoid using Tylenol — which he incorrectly implied may cause autism — Trump said:
“There’s a rumor, and I don’t know if it’s true, that Cuba doesn’t have Tylenol because they can’t afford it. And they have virtually no autism. Tell me about that one.”

No scientific evidence connects Tylenol (acetaminophen) to autism, and Trump did not provide a source for his claim about Cuba. As of now, Cuban authorities have not officially addressed his comments, and state media on the island has remained silent about them.
However, Cuban doctors openly discuss autism treatment. In an interview published on April 2 for World Autism Awareness Day, pediatric specialist Dr. Osmara Delgado Sánchez told the state-run outlet Cubadebate:
“Autistic individuals are all different, and support begins with listening, understanding, and inclusion. True acceptance isn’t shown through slogans, but through respect for each person’s way of being.”
Official Cuban data shows a lower autism prevalence than in developed nations — about 0.36 cases per 10,000 people — though Cuban health professionals acknowledge that this is at least partly due to limited diagnostic tools and underreporting. The World Health Organization estimates that around 1 in 127 people globally are on the autism spectrum but notes that reliable statistics are lacking in many low- and middle-income countries, including Cuba.
Despite severe shortages in medicine, equipment, and funding, Cuba says it continues expanding autism services. Dr. Delgado noted that roughly 300 specialists currently work in seven national autism centers across the island, and that Cuba began implementing structured intervention programs in 2018.
“Our goal isn’t to talk about curing autism,” she said, “but about developing abilities and making sure no one is excluded.”