Trump would have linked autism to Tylenol

Trump officials should link the use of analgesic tylenol in pregnant women to autism, according to American media.

During an oval office event on Monday, the American president will advise pregnant women in the United States to only take Tylenol, known as paracetamol elsewhere, to relieve strong fevers.

On Sunday, in the commemorative service Charlie Kirk, Trump said that he had an “incredible” announcement to come on autism, saying that it was “out of control”, but they could now have a reason.

Some studies have shown a link between pregnant women taking Tylenol and autism, but these results are incoherent and do not prove that the drug causes autism.

Tylenol is a popular brand of pain relief drugs sold in the United States, Canada and some other countries. Its active ingredient is acetaminophen, which is called paracetamol outside North America.

The manufacturer of Tylenol Kenvue defended the use of medication in pregnant women.

In a declaration to the BBC, he said: “We think that independent and solid science clearly shows that the taking of acetaminophen does not cause autism. We do not agree with any suggestion, the opposite and we are deeply concerned about the risk to the health that this poses for the expectations of mothers.”

Acetaminophen is the most safe pain relief option for pregnant women, he added, and without it, women are faced with a dangerous choice between suffering through conditions such as fever or the use of more risky alternatives.

The BBC has contacted the Ministry of Health and Social Services (HHS) for comments.

In April, HHS chief Robert F Kennedy Jr promised “a massive test of tests and research” to determine the cause of autism in five months.

But the experts warned that finding the causes of autism – a complex syndrome that has been sought for decades – would not be simple.

The widespread opinion of researchers is that there is no cause for autism, which is considered to be the result of a complex mixture of genetic and environmental factors.

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology said that doctors across the country have always identified Tylenol as one of the only safe analgesics for pregnant women.

“(S) Tudies that has been carried out in the past, show no clear evidence which proves a direct relationship between the prudent use of acetaminophen in any quarter and fetal development problems,” said the group.

The drug is recommended by other major medical groups as well as other governments around the world.

In August, an examination of the research led by the dean of the Chan School of Public Health of Harvard revealed that children can be more likely to develop autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders when exposed to Tylenol during pregnancy.

Researchers have argued that certain measures should be taken to limit the use of the drug, but said that pain relief was still important to treat maternal fever and pain, which can also have negative effects for children.

But another study, published in 2024, found no relationship between exposure to tylenol and autism.

“There is no solid evidence or convincing studies to suggest that there is a causal relationship,” said Monique Botha, professor of social and developmental psychology at the University of Durham.

Dr. Botha added that pain relief for pregnant women “lacked terribly”, tylenol being one of the only safe options for the population.

Autism diagnoses have increased sharply since 2000 and, by 2020, the rate in children aged 8 years reached 2.77%, according to American centers for the control and prevention of diseases (CDC).

Scientists attribute at least part of the rise to increased awareness of autism and an expansion definition of the disorder. Researchers also studied environmental factors.

In the past, Kennedy has offered demystified theories on the increase in autism rates, blaming vaccines despite a lack of evidence.