Photo: AFP
President Donald Trump is facing widespread backlash from medical experts over his comments linking Tylenol use during pregnancy to autism, per Newsweek.
Trump pushed the unproven claims during Monday's (September 22) White House briefing, during which he urged women to avoid taking Tylenol, or acetaminophen, "during the entire pregnancy," calling it "very dangerous to the woman's health," but offering no evidence to support his comments. The president further claimed that the FDA would begin warning doctors about a potential link between acetaminophen and autism, another claim that remains unproven. Acetaminophen is the most commonly recommended pain reliever during pregnancy.
“Taking Tylenol is not good,” Trump said Monday. “I’ll say it. It’s not good.”
Trump's comments come amid the announcement of a multi-agency initiative led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to identify "all causes of autism," which currently affects 1 in 31 children in the U.S.
Kennedy has long promoted debunked theories linking vaccines and medications to autism. On Monday, Trump promoted leucovorin, a drug used in cancer treatments, as a possible therapy for autism, citing small early studies. Trump said the FDA would move toward recognizing it for autism care, despite the lack of large-scale evidence.
“This is based on what I feel,” Trump said, admitting that the research doesn’t yet support his claims.
Trump also floated a baseless comparison to Cuba, claiming, “There’s a rumor... they don’t have Tylenol because they don’t have the money... and they have virtually no autism. OK?”
Experts say Trump's remarks could mislead pregnant women, discouraging safe medication use and promoting harmful alternatives.
“The danger of announcing a bogus association... is that more women will take NSAIDs, which are actually associated with fetal harm," Dr. Nick Mark, critical care physician, said.
Scientists and advocacy groups also argue that misinformation reinforces dangerous myths and stigmas about autism.
“This announcement dangerously oversimplifies the complex causes of neurological disorders in children... It’s highly unsettling to make such claims without reliable data," Dr. Steven Fleischman, President, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said of Monday's press briefing.
Colin Killick, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, added, “They are playing loose with facts to show the appearance of a connection rather than doing responsible science.”
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network also released a statement condemning the press conference, warning that “an HHS that does not provide accurate information... puts us all at grave risk.”
Kenvue, maker of Tylenol, also responded, saying, “Over a decade of rigorous research confirms there is no credible evidence linking acetaminophen to autism.”
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