Pregnant? Trump says don’t take Tylenol; experts push back

International

SHOULD expectant mothers give up Tylenol?

President Donald Trump says yes, though health experts insist evidence does not support a connection between the drug and autism.

Speaking from the Oval Office on Monday with Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, Trump urged women to avoid the widely used pain reliever—known internationally as paracetamol—during pregnancy except in cases of severe fever. He described the rise in autism diagnoses as a “horrible crisis” and said it is an issue about which he has “very strong feelings.”

Kennedy said the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will issue a physicians’ notice on the potential risks of acetaminophen in pregnancy, pursue a safety label change, and launch a public awareness campaign.

He also announced that the FDA will soon approve Leucovorin, a drug traditionally used to counter chemotherapy toxicity, for some children with autism, citing research that it may improve speech in those with folate deficiencies.

In a BBC report, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) criticized the announcement, warning that it “is not backed by the full body of scientific evidence and dangerously simplifies the many and complex causes of neurologic challenges in children.”

The group noted that acetaminophen has long been considered one of the safest options for managing pain and fever during pregnancy, with no clear evidence linking responsible use to developmental issues.

Tylenol’s manufacturer, Kenvue, rejected any causal link between acetaminophen and autism, saying independent research shows it is safe for pregnant women. The company said discouraging use could leave expectant mothers without safe ways to manage pain and fever.

Studies on the topic have produced mixed results.

A 2021 review led by Harvard’s Chan School of Public Health suggested prenatal exposure might increase the risk of autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders, while noting the importance of treating maternal fever and pain.

In contrast, a 2024 Swedish study of 2.4 million births found no increased risk of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability from acetaminophen exposure. “There is no robust evidence or convincing studies to suggest there is any causal relationship,” Monique Botha, a professor of social and developmental psychology at Durham

University was quoted in the same report. She added that pain relief options for pregnant women remain limited.

Autism diagnoses have risen in recent decades, reaching 2.77% among 8-year-olds in 2020, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Experts attribute part of the increase to broader diagnostic definitions and greater awareness, while also exploring environmental factors. Kennedy has pledged a large-scale effort to identify the causes of autism within five months, though specialists caution the condition is complex and unlikely to have a single cause.(MyTVCebu)