By Julie Steenhuysen

CHICAGO (Reuters) -The American Academy of Pediatrics on Friday said it does not recommend the routine use of leucovorin – a form of vitamin B9 – in children with autism, citing a lack of evidence on the treatment’s benefits and risks to support widespread use in this population.

The announcement follows a flood of demand from parents eager to try the treatment after U.S. health officials touted the decades-old drug in a White House press conference on September 22 that focused on autism causes and treatments.

The generic drug, originally developed by GSK, is a form of folinic acid currently used in people undergoing chemotherapy but can be prescribed off-label for other uses.

The FDA said it has started the process of approving the drug for people with a rare gene

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