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Tylenol brand pain reliever (acetaminophen) is under fire by the Trump administration for possible links to autism. Photographer: Gabby Jones\/Bloomberg<\/p>\n
\u00a9 2024 Bloomberg Finance LP<\/p>\n
The Trump administration suggests that Tylenol (acetaminophen) may contribute to autism risk when used by pregnant women. President Trump repeatedly said \u201cDon\u2019t take Tylenol\u201d during a news conference last week. He doubled down on the message in a Truth Social post<\/a> several days ago. Outside the United States, regulatory agencies and healthcare systems reacted by reiterating that acetaminophen is the only pharmaceutical pain and fever relief option that is safe for use during pregnancy.<\/p>\n President Trump\u2019s exhortations at the White House last week went well beyond words of caution. He declared \u201cI want to say it like it is \u2014 don\u2019t take Tylenol\u201d and \u201cfight like hell not to take it.\u201d He added that pregnant women should \u201ctough it out.\u201d Reinforcing his message, Trump posted on Friday that pregnant women should not \u201cuse Tylenol unless absolutely necessary.\u201d He also implored parents not to \u201cgive Tylenol to your young child for virtually any reason.\u201d<\/p>\n Acetaminophen, sold in the U.S. under the brand name Tylenol, has been considered the safest painkiller for pregnant women to manage fever, headache and other pain. In many other countries it\u2019s called paracetamol.<\/p>\n STAT News reported<\/a> on European regulators\u2019 de facto reaction to the U.S. news conference on Tylenol and autism, saying that \u201cregulators have issued new statements backing the safety of [acetaminophen] use in pregnancy, effectively repudiating claims from the Trump administration that the medicine can cause autism in children.\u201d<\/p>\n Though the statements don\u2019t mention the Monday news conference, it can be inferred from the almost immediate posting of such messages that public health officials were worried that Trump\u2019s assertions may cause unnecessary confusion for families.<\/p>\n The European Medicines Agency emphasized that its recommendations had not changed. It considers acetaminophen a safe way to address pain and fever in pregnancy, which are conditions that \u201ccan be dangerous to developing babies if left untreated.\u201d<\/p>\n Looking at some individual countries\u2019 health authorities, we see similar responses from around the continent.<\/p>\n The Dutch counterpart to the FDA, the CBG, updated<\/a> its website last week to restate that paracetamol is the \u201csafest pain medication during pregnancy.\u201d The agency advises pregnant women to read the label and take the lowest possible dose. Furthermore, a Dutch pharmacy practice guideline website reiterated<\/a> that paracetamol is recommended as first line treatment for pain and fever in children from the age of one month, contradicting what Trump wrote.<\/p>\n Health and Science, an independent Belgian organization dedicated to producing evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for \u201cdoctors and the public,\u201d responded<\/a> with a headline \u201cParacetamol does not cause autism.\u201d A newspaper headline in Belgium said<\/a> \u201cThere is no link between Dafalgan [brand name comparable to Tylenol] and autism, even though Trump claims there is.\u201d<\/p>\n The National Health Service England posted<\/a> an equally clear video message, while the United Kingdom\u2019s FDA counterpart, the Medication and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency posted<\/a> that \u201cbased on rigorous assessment of the best available scientific evidence\u201d it continues to recommend paracetamol during pregnancy when used as directed.<\/p>\n North of the U.S. border, Health Canada updated<\/a> its guidance on Sept. 23rd in the wake of the controversy. The agency \u201ccurrently maintains that there is no conclusive evidence that using acetaminophen as directed during pregnancy causes autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders.\u201d Subsequently, Health Canada states that \u201cacetaminophen is commonly used to relieve pain and reduce fever. It has been used safely by millions of Canadians for decades, including during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.\u201d The drug is \u201crecommended treatment of pain or fever in pregnancy when used as directed. It should be used at the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration needed.\u201d<\/p>\n Even the World Health Organization chimed in as it reissued<\/a> a statement that \u201cemphasizes that there is currently no conclusive scientific evidence confirming a possible link between autism and use of acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol) during pregnancy,\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to note that in the U.S. the FDA still states there is no causal relationship established between acetaminophen and autism or any other neurological disorder. Moreover, the agency says that therapeutic alternatives to acetaminophen have \u201cwell-documented adverse impacts.\u201d The FDA recommends against the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs<\/a>, including ibuprofen, after week 20 of pregnancy, unless a healthcare provider specifically recommends it. It also advises not to take aspirin given the “potential for adverse effects on the fetus.”<\/p>\n Despite these clear messages, the agency is moving ahead with beginning the process of changing the labeling on acetaminophen to include a warning that it may cause autism and attention-deficit\/hyperactivity disorder.<\/p>\n