UK experts have said Donald Trump’s expected announcement that paracetamol use is ‘linked to autism’ is fearmongering.
The Wall Street Journal reported that US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr is expected to say Tylenol – which is paracetamol in the UK – is a potential cause of autism.
Scientists and academics have since slammed it, with one saying the claim risks stigmatising families who have autistic children as ‘having brought it on themselves’.
The newspaper said a federal report is also expected to recommend a specific type of vitamin folate as a way to treat the disorder.
It comes after Trump said on Saturday: ‘I think we found an answer to autism. I mean, for a little baby to be injected with that much fluid, even beyond the actual ingredients, they have sometimes 80 different vaccines in them. It’s crazy.
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‘You know that’s a common sense thing too… It’s like you’re shooting up a horse. You have a little body, a little baby, and you’re pumping this big thing. It’s a horrible thing.’
The NHS says paracetamol is the first choice of painkiller if you’re pregnant, and is commonly taken during pregnancy and does not harm your baby.
Dr Monique Botha, associate professor in social and developmental psychology at Durham University, added: ‘There are many studies which refute a link, but the most important was a Swedish study of 2.4 million births published in 2024 which used actual sibling data and found no relationship between exposure to paracetamol in utero and subsequent autism, ADHD or intellectual disability.
‘This suggests no causal effect of paracetamol in autism. I am exceptionally confident in saying that no relationship exists.’
Dr Both said that pain relief for pregnant women is already lacking, so ‘fearmongering’ the safe options will make things worse.
Dimitrios Siassakos, professor in obstetrics and gynaecology at University College London and honorary consultant in obstetrics at University College London Hospital (UCLH), said: ‘Autism results from several factors, often combined, particularly genetic predisposition, and sometimes low oxygen at the time of birth as a result of complications.
‘Research has shown that any apparent marginal increase as a result of paracetamol/acetaminophen use in pregnancy tends to disappear when the analyses take into account the factors that matter most.’
Professor Claire Anderson, president of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, said: ‘Paracetamol has been used safely by millions of people for decades, including during pregnancy, when taken as directed.
‘It is the first-line choice for pain management and fever control in a variety of patients, including pregnant women, children and the elderly.
‘A large study conducted in 2024 found no evidence of a link between paracetamol use in pregnancy and an increased risk of autism in children.’
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