Researchers Challenge Trump’s Claims on Acetaminophen and Autism
Researchers who have studied the potential link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism have criticized former President Donald Trump for spreading what they describe as “misinformation” about their findings. This comes after Trump and senior health officials warned pregnant women to avoid acetaminophen, commonly sold under the brand name Tylenol, citing a study that suggested an association between the drug and neurodevelopmental conditions like autism and ADHD.
The study in question was published in August by experts from Harvard, Mount Sinai, the University of California – Los Angeles, and the University of Massachusetts Lowell. While the researchers emphasized that more research is needed and that the link is only an association, some administration officials used stronger language, with FDA commissioner Dr. Marty Makary stating, “We now have evidence we cannot ignore.”
Experts behind the study, which appeared in the journal BMC Environmental Health, told the Daily Mail that while they communicated with the administration and appreciated their interest in the study, acetaminophen “remains an important tool for pregnant patients and their physicians.” They urged Americans to follow guidance from health authorities such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), which has called Trump’s advice “dangerous” and “highly unsettling.”
Another widely regarded 2024 paper, which analyzed 2.5 million children and found “no evidence” of acetaminophen causing autism, also disputed Trump’s claims. The researchers fear his messaging may cause confusion among parents and lead them to avoid acetaminophen in critical situations, such as high fevers or severe pain.
Dr. Brian K Lee, one of the co-authors of the 2024 study and a professor of epidemiology at Drexel University, told the Daily Mail: “The best science to date indicates that acetaminophen use during pregnancy does not cause autism.” He added that while observational studies have found a statistical association, this does not imply causation. “In short, the President is spreading misinformation,” he said.
Acetaminophen is commonly used by pregnant women, with approximately 60% taking the drug to manage fevers and pain that could harm both mother and baby. It is known as paracetamol in Australia and the UK and is found in medications such as Tylenol, DayQuil, NyQuil, and Excedrin PM.
Kenvue, the makers of Tylenol, have pushed back against the Trump administration’s claims, calling it “dangerous” and insisting its drug remains the safest option for pain and fever relief in pregnant women. A spokesperson told the Daily Mail: “The facts are that over a decade of rigorous research, endorsed by leading medical professionals and global health regulators, confirms there is no credible evidence linking acetaminophen to autism.”
The researchers who conducted the BMC Environmental Health study cited by Trump reviewed 46 studies involving 100,000 participants. Out of these, 27 found a positive association between acetaminophen and neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and ADHD. They suggested that acetaminophen may cross the placenta and induce oxidative stress that hinders neurodevelopmental pathways.
Dr. Andrea Baccarelli, lead author of the August study and professor of environmental health at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, told the Daily Mail: “We found evidence of an association between exposure to acetaminophen during pregnancy and increased incidence of neurodevelopmental disorders in children.” He noted that animal studies have suggested prenatal exposure to acetaminophen can damage a developing brain but emphasized that further research is needed to confirm the association and determine causality.
Mount Sinai Health System, where one of the BMC study authors, Diddier Prada, is affiliated, stated: “The study found an association, but not a causal link, between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.” The organization added that acetaminophen remains one of the safest options for pain and fever relief during pregnancy when used as directed.
ACOG has also criticized the Trump administration for linking acetaminophen use to autism, calling the announcement “highly unsettling.” The agency stated: “In more than two decades of research on the use of acetaminophen in pregnancy, not a single reputable study has successfully concluded that the use of acetaminophen in any trimester of pregnancy causes neurodevelopmental disorders in children.”
A 2024 study published in JAMA, which was cited in the BMC report, found no association between acetaminophen and autism. The study followed 2.5 million children born in Sweden between 1995 and 2019 and found that the initial increase in risk disappeared when comparing children to their siblings.
Hugo Sjöqvist, a PhD student at Karolinska Institutet and author of the JAMA study, told the Daily Mail: “I fail to see the reasoning as to why one would claim that acetaminophen would lead to autism.” He emphasized that the usage of acetaminophen is not random and is often taken when a person is sick or in pain. “Drawing conclusions by simply looking at the usage and outcome can even be seen as a bit disingenuous,” he said.
Dr. Viktor H Ahlqvist, lead author of the JAMA study, also criticized Trump’s statements, calling them “not accurate.” He noted that larger population-based studies from Sweden, Norway, and Japan suggest that earlier observations were biased. “There is no strong evidence to suggest acetaminophen used in pregnancy would cause autism,” he said. “However, as with any medication use in pregnancy, best advice is always to consult with physicians and midwives – taking medications during pregnancy is always best done in light of expert advice.”
