Trump advises pregnant women to avoid Tylenol due to autism concerns

Trump Advises Against Tylenol Use for Pregnant Women

US President Donald Trump announced that doctors in the US will be advised against prescribing the pain reliever Tylenol to pregnant women due to a disputed link with autism. Trump made the statement in the Oval Office on Monday alongside Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr.

Trump stated that taking paracetamol, the main ingredient in Tylenol, is not recommended for pregnant women except in cases of extreme fever. Some studies have suggested a connection between Tylenol use during pregnancy and autism, but these findings are inconsistent. The maker of Tylenol, Kenvue, defended the drug's safety for pregnant women, citing independent scientific evidence.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists expressed concerns about the announcement, stating that it oversimplifies the complex causes of neurologic challenges in children. The FDA will issue a notice to physicians regarding the potential risks of Tylenol use during pregnancy and consider changing the safety label on the medication.

In addition, the FDA will approve the use of Leucovorin, a drug traditionally used to protect cancer patients from chemotherapy toxicity, as a treatment for children with autism. Trump called the increase in autism cases a crisis and emphasized the need for research into its causes. Experts caution that autism is a complex syndrome with multiple genetic and environmental factors.

A review led by Harvard University's Chan School of Public Health suggested a possible link between Tylenol exposure during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders in children. However, a separate study in 2024 found no definitive relationship between Tylenol exposure and autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability.

Autism diagnoses have risen since 2000, with a rate of 2.77% among 8-year-olds in 2020. The increase is attributed to heightened awareness and expanded definitions of autism. Kennedy, in the past, has promoted debunked theories linking vaccines to autism.