Former President Donald Trump had some unexpected support from a controversial comment he made last week. He recommended that pregnant women reduce their use of acetaminophen (Tylenol), arguing that there is an association with Tylenol use and autism. At a press conference, this is the claim that our Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. crafted. Health officials across the world were swift to condemn his assertions. Those who study this issue strongly caution that Trump’s claims are scientifically unfounded and can have serious negative effects on maternal and child health.
During the announcement, which featured considerable fanfare, Trump stated, “Don’t take Tylenol. Don’t take it. Fight like hell not to take it.” His comments echo a dangerous and false trend of spreading misinformation surrounding medications and their pregnancy safety category. The World Health Organization (WHO) and other international health leaders quickly debunked Trump’s assertions. They highlighted the importance of adhering to evidence-based protocols.
Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) issued a forceful condemnation of Trump’s statement. They came together with the Chief Medical Officer and Regulators from around the world to express their collective outrage. They stated, “Robust scientific evidence shows no causal link between the use of paracetamol in pregnancy and autism or ADHD, with several large and reliable studies directly contradicting these claims.” Furthermore, the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) reinforced that “paracetamol remains the recommended pain relief option for pregnant women when used as directed.”
New Zealand’s Ministry of Health weighed in, describing paracetamol as “the safest medicine to take in pregnancy” for treating pain or fever. Health authorities are all on the same page in their desire to misinform the public. They are on the frontlines, fighting disinformation, sometimes literally.
Scott White, chair of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Women’s Health Committee, expressed concern over the implications of Trump’s messaging. He emphasized, “Paracetamol is safe and actually important to use because pain and fever are associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes themselves.” White voiced his opposition to the message being conveyed to pregnant women. He feels they shouldn’t have to suffer pain in their lives without having real effective options for relief.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting criticized Trump’s medical advice, stating, “I would just say to people watching, don’t pay any attention whatsoever to what Donald Trump says about medicine.” This statement was similar to one made by Spanish Health Minister Mónica García Gómez, who said Trump was “ignoring all medical research.”
Though numerous studies have indicated a possible connection between prenatal use of acetaminophen and risk of developing autism, most experts warn against concluding cause and effect. Tarik Jašarević from the WHO noted that “this lack of replicability really calls for caution in drawing casual conclusions.” Around 2.5 million Swedish children were the subjects of a large, yet comprehensive study released last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Overall, the researchers found no evidence that acetaminophen use during pregnancy is associated with autism.
Scott White from Indy Can revealed the depths of the problems. He proposed that the reason a woman takes paracetamol, such as for a fever or infection, could have a huge impact on her child’s mental development. This idea deeply complicates the arguments for and against this larger ongoing battle.
Dr Alison Cave, chief safety officer at the MHRA, emphasised that pain and fever in pregnancy should be well-controlled. She stated, “Untreated pain and fever can pose risks to the unborn baby, so it is important to manage these symptoms with the recommended treatment.” This position reflects the guidance from public health officials. They warn for where caution is needed, but they confidently tell the truth of denying people access to safe medications—there’s no basis.
As global health officials refute Trump’s statements over and over, they are reiterating the importance of evidence-based best practices to health care. The good news is that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recently reaffirmed those findings. Further, they found that the evidence available to them indicated no association between prenatal paracetamol use and autism.
