The Trump administration plans to announce on Monday that the use of Tylenol, known as paracetamol in other parts of the world, during pregnancy is linked to autism in children.
Federal health officials in the US are expected to raise concerns about the use of the medication and generic acetaminophen, according to officials who spoke to Politico and the Washington Post.
Trump teased the announcement on Sunday while speaking at the memorial event for activist Charlie Kirk. He told the audience, “I think we found an answer to autism,” and called the announcement “one of the most important things that we will do.”
Officials reviewed research by Mount Sinai and Harvard researchers that showed that there was a possible link between Tylenol use early on in pregnancy and an increased risk of autism in children. The plan is to warn pregnant women against using the over-the-counter pain medication unless they have a fever.
Along with the announcement, the Trump administration is also preparing a broader initiative where a dozen working groups are examining about 30 hypotheses about the potential causes of autism.
The Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects social and communication difficulties and repetitive behaviours. According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 31 8-year-olds had autism in US communities. In 2000, the number was 1 in 150.
According to the reports, the administration also plans to promote leucovorin (a prescription medication used in cancer treatment to counter the effect of other drugs and treat vitamin B9 deficiency), as a potential treatment for autism.
Studies on leucovorn by some scientists showed that children with autism showed improvement in their ability to speak, creating debate about the condition that was believed to be primarily genetic.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had recently claimed that the US is in the grip of an “autism epidemic” fuelled by “environmental toxins”. He was also caught up in controversy for promoting unproven links between autism and certain medications, including vaccinations, despite there being clear evidence and decades of research that suggest otherwise.
Is Acetaminophen or paracetamol safe to take during pregnancy?
Guidelines for acetaminophen from major medical societies identify it as a safe pain reliever to use during pregnancy but advise pregnant women to consult health care providers before taking it, like for all other medications taken during the period.
Tylenol or paracetamol is the most commonly used drug for pain relief and fever reduction in pregnant women, who are advised not to use ibuprofen and Advil.
Dr. Andrea Baccarelli, dean of Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, published a review of existing research in the journal BMC Environmental Health, where they advised “Appropriate and immediate steps should be taken to advise pregnant women to limit acetaminophen consumption to protect their offspring’s neurodevelopment.” They didn't, however, say that women should not use it. “We recommend judicious acetaminophen use — lowest effective dose, shortest duration — under medical guidance, tailored to individual risk-benefit assessments, rather than a broad limitation,” it said.
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Kirk Perry, interim CEO of Tylenol maker Kenvue, had spoken to Kennedy and asked them not to cite Tylenol as a cause for autism. A company spokesperson who spoke to Politico said that they strongly disagreed with any suggestion linking Tylenol to autism. They said that discouraging women from using Tylenol would force them to make “dangerous choices” like taking riskier painkillers and enduring pain that could be harmful to them and their babies.
The spokesperson also said that the over a decade of rigorous research endorsed by medical professionals and global health regulators said that there is no credible evidence linking acetaminophen to autism.
A study published in Sweden in 2024 that analysed records of 2.5 million siblings born from 1995 to 2019 found that there was no increased risk of autism when their mother took acetaminophen during pregnancy.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says there is “no clear evidence” that judicious use of the medication causes developmental issues in fetuses and cautioned against leaving maternal fever and pain untreated.
In the UK, the NHS says that paracetamol is the first choice of painkiller if you are pregnant.
