Trump Advises Against Taking Tylenol During Pregnancy
UK Health Secretary: "No Evidence Linking Tylenol to Autism"
Controversy Grows... FDA: "Causality Not Established"
As U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that taking Tylenol during pregnancy increases the risk of having a child with autism, the British Health Secretary directly refuted his statement. According to Yonhap News, Secretary Wes Streeting said on the 23rd (local time) in an interview with British broadcaster ITV, "There is no evidence linking the use of paracetamol by pregnant women to autism in their children." Acetaminophen, the main ingredient in Tylenol, is commonly referred to as paracetamol in Europe.
Controversial remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump claiming that taking Tylenol during pregnancy increases the risk of autism. Photo by AFP Yonhap News
Secretary Streeting stated, "A major study conducted in Sweden in 2024 involving 2.4 million children did not support such claims," and added, "Do not pay attention to what President Trump says about medicine." He continued, "Do not even listen to what I say as a politician. Listen to the doctors and scientists of the United Kingdom, and to the National Health Service (NHS)," emphasizing that President Trump's claims lack clear scientific evidence.
On the 22nd, at a White House press conference, President Trump asserted, "Taking Tylenol during pregnancy increases the risk of autism in children," and added, "We will notify physicians of this through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)." He explained, "The FDA will strongly recommend restricting the use of Tylenol during pregnancy unless it is medically necessary," citing "unbearably high fever" as an example of a medically necessary situation. He further stated, "If it is truly unbearable and intolerable, there is no other choice but to take it, but even then, only a small amount should be used."
He also cited statistics from U.S. health authorities indicating that the prevalence of autism has increased by about 400% compared to the year 2000, and repeatedly urged, "Do not take Tylenol. Do not give it to your baby." He reiterated the statement "Do not take Tylenol" several times.
While painkillers such as ibuprofen or naproxen are not recommended due to potential harm to the fetus, Tylenol has generally been considered relatively safe. However, President Trump claimed that taking Tylenol could lead to the birth of a child with autism.
Mel Merritt, Head of Policy and Campaigns at the National Autistic Society (NAS) in the United Kingdom, stated, "The misinformation about autism from President Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (U.S. Health Secretary) risks undermining decades of expert research," and called on the government and NHS to condemn this misinformation. Professor Rory Tomlinson of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, who is also the mother of two autistic children, said, "As a research expert and a mother of two autistic children, such statements cause confusion and guilt for many parents," and urged, "Focus on the numerous reliable pieces of evidence showing no association between paracetamol and autism."
The FDA stated, "In recent years, evidence has accumulated suggesting that acetaminophen use during pregnancy may be associated with an increased risk of neurological disorders in children, such as autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)." However, the agency clarified, "To be clear, while many studies have described an association between acetaminophen and autism, causality has not been established, and there are also studies in the scientific literature with opposing results."
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