The World Health Organisation (WHO) is pushing back against contested claims by the Trump administration that acetaminophen use during pregnancy heightens the risk of autism, further underscoring that no scientific consensus supports such a connection.
“Extensive research, including large-scale studies over the past decade, has found no consistent association,” the agency said in a Wednesday statement.
“[The] WHO recommends that all women continue to follow advice of their doctors or health workers, who can help assess individual circumstances and recommend necessary medicines.”
The concern had escalated earlier in the week when US president Donald Trump, alongside senior health officials including Robert F Kennedy jnr, issued a warning about acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, more commonly known as paracetamol, alleging it contributes to rising autism rates. The announcement also included plans for a new study examining potential links between childhood vaccines and autism.
RM Block
“Taking Tylenol is not good ... all pregnant women should talk to their doctors about limiting the use of this medication while pregnant,” Mr Trump said on Monday.
The WHO stressed that all medications should be used with caution during pregnancy, especially in the early stages, but pointed out that previous studies raising alarms about acetaminophen were flawed and have since been discredited.
[ What is behind Trump’s claims that painkillers increase the risk of autism?Opens in new window ]
The organisation also reaffirmed its stance on vaccines and said that “large, high-quality studies from many countries have all reached the same conclusion” – that vaccines do not cause autism. It emphasised that over the past five decades, global immunisation efforts guided by the agency have prevented at least 154 million deaths.
The vaccine schedule “remains essential for the health and wellbeing of every child and every community”, it said.
Autism affects an estimated 62 million people worldwide, or roughly one in 127 individuals. Its precise origins remain unclear, with researchers pointing to a mix of genetic and environmental factors.
Other medical experts have since raised alarms about the Trump administration’s baseless claims.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) released a statement saying “suggestions that acetaminophen use in pregnancy causes autism are not only highly concerning to clinicians but also irresponsible when considering the harmful and confusing message they send to pregnant patients.”
The issue of autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions is expected to be a central focus at the United Nations high-level meeting on mental health and non-communicable diseases scheduled for Thursday.
