The Monday announcement by President Trump on Tylenol and its link with autism has sparked a debate among the medical field. Experts have claimed that the link suggested is unfound in science. Australia's peak body for obstetricians and gynaecologists now fear that pregnant women will not take paracetamol when they need it and suffer harm from unmanaged fever. Trump suggested that women should "fight like hell" and not take paracetamol, which is branded as Tylenol in the US, as it heightens the risk of autism when it is used by pregnant women. He further said that if women continue to take the medicine, "that would mean you can't tough it out, so that's up to you and your doctor. I just want to say it is like it is: don't take Tylenol. Don't take it. Fight like hell not to take it."However, as far as science and facts are concerned, the pain medicine is widely considered a safe option to treat pain and fever even during pregnancy.As a result of this, Australia's medicine regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), re-confirmed the safety of this drug use during pregnancy.Also Read: Tylenol And Autism: Trump Announces Link Between The Two, Science Does Not Back Him What Is The Australian Medical Body Saying About Tylenol Use?The Royal Australian and New Zeeland College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) warned that Trump’s comments could lead pregnant women to avoid paracetamol and suffer harm from unmanaged fever. Dr Elisha Broom, a counsellor and spokesperson for RANZCOG, as reported by Guardian said, evidence supports the safety of paracetamol in pregnancy when used correctly. Broom further noted that unmanaged fever is a known risk to pregnancy, unlike paracetamol.“It’s not a no-harm scenario when women are fearful to take what we know are safe medications,” said Broom. Broom is a maternal fetal medicine sub-specialist in Queensland and said that many obstetricians are expecting questions from their patients after Trump's announcement and would welcome them.Read: What Is Leucovorin - The Drug Trump Suggests As A Treatment For Autism? Is There A Link Between Fever Medicines And Babies?Broom said, "We know that actually there is a link between fever and impacts on babies – not neurodivergence – but complications in pregnancies that result from unmanaged fever."She further noted that "It is not a no-harm scenario where women are fearful to take what we know are safe over-the-counter medications to relieve pain and fever in pregnancy."The reason why this announcement could harm women more than protecting them is because medicines like Nurofen or ibuprofen is already not recommended because it does not have the same safety profile, suggests Broom. Thus, this leaves women without any options but to cope with pain and unmanaged fever. The TGA also noted that "paracetamol remains Pregnancy Category A in Australia, meaning that it is considered safe for use in pregnancy”.It said: “The TGA maintains robust post-market safety surveillance and pharmacovigilance processes for all medicines registered in Australia, including paracetamol.”Read: Trump Suggests Changes In Childhood Vaccines, Says It Is Based On What He FeelsWhat Do Other Medical Boards Say About This Announcement?Australian Medical Association (AMA) president, Danielle McMullen stressed that studies showing a “possible association” between paracetamol and autism do not prove causation. She said autism is far more likely to be driven by genetic factors. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) also called Trump's announcement "irresponsible" and "highly unsettling". They emphasized acetaminophen (Tylenol) remains the safest painkiller during pregnancy.
Email
Google
Facebook Email Google Facebook