Trump Officials Set to Link Tylenol Use in Pregnancy to Autism Risk
In the United States, a controversial announcement is expected from former President Donald Trump’s administration regarding autism. Reports suggest that officials are preparing to publicly connect the use of Tylenol, also known as paracetamol, during pregnancy to an increased risk of autism. This move comes despite decades of medical guidelines that continue to state the medication is safe for expectant mothers when used appropriately.
The Washington Post has reported that the Trump team is planning to reveal this claim, along with a new push to explore the use of a drug called leucovorin as a potential treatment for autism. Leucovorin has been studied in limited clinical trials, with some early findings showing improvements in speech and communication for certain children. However, experts have stressed that these results are preliminary and far from conclusive.
Also Read:Trump himself hinted at the upcoming announcement during a memorial service for conservative activist Charlie Kirk. He told the audience that “an answer to autism” had been found, framing it as potentially one of the most important medical breakthroughs in American history. His health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has previously expressed skepticism toward vaccines and other mainstream health practices, is expected to play a central role in the rollout. Kennedy has repeatedly described autism as an epidemic caused by environmental toxins, a view that diverges sharply from mainstream scientific consensus.
Medical professionals across the globe have already responded with alarm. In Australia, for example, paracetamol is considered safe for pregnant women, and leading doctors have criticized the Trump administration’s claims as dangerous. Dr. Kathryn Austin, president of the Australian Medical Association in New South Wales, warned that spreading misinformation about common medications could cause unnecessary fear among expectant mothers. She emphasized that autism has no single known cause and is widely understood to result from a complex interplay of genetics and environmental factors.
Research has indeed shown associations in some studies between acetaminophen and autism, but association does not prove causation. A large-scale study involving more than 2 million births found that when sibling comparisons were made—controlling for genetic and environmental influences—the supposed connection between Tylenol and autism disappeared. This suggests that factors other than medication are more likely responsible.
Autism diagnoses have increased over the past two decades, but much of that rise has been attributed by scientists to improved awareness and broader diagnostic criteria, especially for girls and women who were historically underdiagnosed. By 2020, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that about one in 36 children had been identified with autism spectrum disorder.
The Trump administration’s forthcoming announcement is being closely watched, but many in the medical community fear it will fuel confusion rather than provide clarity. The science remains complex, the causes of autism are not fully understood, and the link between Tylenol and autism has not been established. For now, experts continue to urge parents and pregnant women to follow established medical advice and consult their doctors rather than political headlines.
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