U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the use of paracetamol during pregnancy and child vaccination could allegedly cause autism. These claims lack scientific evidence, reports Baltimore Chronicle citing Reuters and Washington Post.
During a joint press conference with U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump suggested that excessive use of paracetamol by expectant mothers might be linked to the risk of autism spectrum disorders in children. He said: “I want to say it clearly: don’t take Tylenol. Don’t take it. We recommend, or at least I recommend, that you don’t allow your child to be injected with the largest pile of substances you’ve ever seen in your life.”
Trump also urged women to endure discomfort during pregnancy for the sake of their children’s well-being and cited Cuba as an example, claiming that autism is almost absent there because people cannot afford paracetamol. He added that in recent decades the number of autism diagnoses among children in the United States has risen sharply. According to him, several decades ago autism affected one in 10,000 children, whereas today it is one in 31, and in some regions, such as California, the ratio may be as high as one in 12.
However, scientists have not confirmed any link between paracetamol use and autism. The Washington Post notes that the largest study on the issue, published in JAMA, found no correlation between the drug and the disorder. At the same time, a comprehensive review combining all available studies suggested a possible association, though researchers stressed that it is premature to draw definitive conclusions and recommended that pregnant women take only minimal doses.
Following Trump’s remarks, dozens of medical and scientific organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, condemned his statements. The U.S. manufacturer of paracetamol, Kenvue, also rejected the president’s position, stating that independent research proves acetaminophen is safe and dismisses claims of any connection to autism.
Earlier we wrote that Trump: Russian aircraft incidents in the Baltic Sea could lead to serious issues.