Tylenol And Autism: Trump Announces Link Between The Two, Science Does Not Back Him

The official announcement linking Tylenol, a popular pain medicine with autism was made by President Donald Trump on Monday. In the announcement, he noted that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will notify doctors that the use of Tylenol during pregnancy can be associated with a "very increased risk of autism", despite years of research and evidence that clearly point its safety. "They are strongly recommending that women limit Tylenol use during pregnancy unless medically necessary," such as to treat fever, "if you can't tough it out," said Trump.Tylenol, Pregnancy, And Childhood AutismAs per earlier studies, one of which is published in American Family Physician in 2014 also noted that during pregnancy most people used acetaminophen, sold under the brand name Tylenol. Acetaminophen is considered the one safe over-the-counter option for pain or fever for pregnant people. Other common pain relief options like ibuprofen or regular-dose-aspirin is available, however, they can pose serious risk in pregnancy and could lead to complications. Is There Any Evidence That Show The Link Between Tylenol And Autism?As per a recent 2024 study published in JAMA Network, titled Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy and Children’s Risk of Autism, ADHD, and Intellectual Disability, there is no risk of autism for mothers who consume the medicine during pregnancy. The study notes: "Acetaminophen use during pregnancy was not associated with children’s risk of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability in sibling control analyses."James Cusack, chief executive of Autistica, a UK autism research and campaigning charity in London, who is autistic told Nature: "There is no definitive evidence to suggest that paracetamol use in mothers is a cause of autism, and when you see any associations, they are very, very small. At the heart of this is people trying to look for simple answers to complex solutions.”Helen Tager-Flusberg, a psychologist who studies autism at Boston University, Massachusetts told Nature, "he better controlled studies are less likely to find even a small risk. And even then, what we're talking about is a minor association. … We do not think that taking acetaminophen is in any way contributing to actually causing autism.”A study led by Viktor Ahlqvist, an epidemiologist at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm (mentioned above, published in JAMA Network) is considered one of the biggest studies in this subject have also found no such link. Ahlqvist’s team analyzed data from nearly 2.5 million children born in Sweden between 1995 and 2019, drawing from the nation’s detailed health records. These included acetaminophen prescriptions during pregnancy, self-reported use collected by midwives, and later autism diagnoses in children.The findings showed autism in about 1.42% of children exposed to acetaminophen prenatally, compared to 1.33% among those not exposed, a difference Ahlqvist described as “very small.”However, a previous study from 2022, published in Cureus, titled A Systematic Review of the Link Between Autism Spectrum Disorder and Acetaminophen: A Mystery to Resolve, concluded that "using acetaminophen during pregnancy was associated with attention problems and poorer executive development in children, especially with a longer duration of acetaminophen use". The studied reviewed 16 previously published studies and noted: "All 16 studies selected in our data showed a consistent association between acetaminophen and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes."Also Read: Tylenol And Autism: Trump, RFK Jr., And Officials To Link The Two In An Announcement SoonWhat More Was Discussed In The Announcement?At the White House, President Trump appeared alongside US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. While the discussion included concerns over Tylenol use during pregnancy, Trump went further, calling for delays in childhood vaccinations, even suggesting postponing the hepatitis B shot, which has helped nearly eliminate infections in children, until age 12.“It’s too much liquid, too many different things are going into that baby,” Trump said, offering no evidence to support his claims.Scientific consensus remains firm: extensive research has shown no connection between vaccines and autism.Trump praised Kennedy for bringing autism “to the forefront of American politics” and claimed, “We understood a lot more than a lot of people who studied it.” Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, has promoted theories linking vaccines to autism that experts widely dismiss.By contrast, Kennedy and the FDA delivered more measured messages. Kennedy announced that HHS will launch a national campaign to inform families about safe Tylenol use during pregnancy. He stressed that acetaminophen should be used only when necessary, at the lowest effective dose, and for the shortest duration possible.The FDA said it will begin revising acetaminophen safety labels and issue a letter to physicians. The agency emphasized that while some studies have noted an association, no causal link to autism has been proven, and decisions about Tylenol use remain with parents.Tylenol’s manufacturer, Kenvue, strongly rejected any claim that acetaminophen causes autism, warning that misinformation could endanger pregnant women. “Acetaminophen is the safest pain reliever option for pregnant women throughout their entire pregnancy,” the company said, adding that untreated fever and severe pain can pose serious risks to both mother and baby.Kenvue also urged expectant mothers to consult healthcare professionals before using any over-the-counter medication.

Tylenol And Autism: Trump Announces Link Between The Two, Science Does Not Back Him

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