After U.S. President Donald Trump said that taking Tylenol during pregnancy increases the risk of having a child with autism, international health organizations and health authorities around the world pushed back. Tylenol is a fever reducer and pain reliever containing acetaminophen. It is made by Kenvue, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson (J&J) in the United States.
According to Reuters, the Guardian, and other foreign media, World Health Organization (WHO) Spokesperson Tarik Jašarević told reporters on the 23rd (local time) that it is prudent to avoid drawing causal conclusions about autism and the role of acetaminophen. He said that while some studies have suggested a possible link between Tylenol's ingredient and autism, several other studies have found no association, adding that if the association were strong, it would have appeared consistently across multiple studies.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) under the European Union (EU) also issued a statement saying that no association has been found to date between paracetamol use during pregnancy and autism, adding that paracetamol is an important option for treating pain or fever during pregnancy and can be used when needed. Acetaminophen is called paracetamol in Europe.
Trump said at a White House press briefing on the 22nd that Tylenol causes autism. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plans to require product labels to state that taking Tylenol while pregnant increases the likelihood of giving birth to a child with autism.
Trump said they (the FDA) will strongly recommend limiting Tylenol use during pregnancy unless medically necessary, adding that even when it must be taken—for example, in the case of an unbearably high fever—it should be taken sparingly.
But health authorities in the United Kingdom and across Europe made clear that Tylenol and autism are not linked.
United Kingdom Minister of Health and Social Care Wes Streeting said on British broadcaster ITV that there is no evidence linking paracetamol use to a child's autism. He said, do not pay attention to what President Trump said, and do not listen to a politician like me either; listen to Britain's doctors, scientists, and the National Health Service (NHS).
Allison Cave, Ph.D., the safety lead at the United Kingdom's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), also said that if fever or pain during pregnancy is left untreated, it is instead dangerous for the fetus.
Germany's Health Ministry said there is no scientific evidence that paracetamol use during pregnancy is linked to autism, while Italy's medicines agency said there is no need to change recommendations on paracetamol use during pregnancy.
Spain's Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices also said there is no evidence supporting a link between Tylenol use during pregnancy and autism, adding that paracetamol can be used during pregnancy when clinically indicated. It added, however, that cautious use is recommended.