President Donald Trump held a press conference on Monday in which he claimed that the use of acetaminophen (commonly known as Tylenol) in pregnancy may be linked to autism ― although medical experts overwhelmingly stress there is very little scientific evidence that supports this statement.
“Taking Tylenol is not good. I’ll say it. It’s not good,” Trump said. He announced that the Food and Drug Administration will be “strongly recommending that women limit Tylenol use during pregnancy unless medically necessary.”
The president later admitted that his advice on the drug was coming from his own personal feelings. “I’m just making these statements from me,” he said. “I’m not making them from these doctors, because when they talk about, you know, different results, different studies, I talk about a lot of common sense. And they have that, too. They have that too, a lot.”
On Monday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that the Trump administration “does not believe popping more pills is always the answer for better health” and “will not be deterred in these efforts as we know millions across America are grateful.”
Professional medical organizations, from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists to the American Psychiatric Association, refuted Trump’s allegations on social media, asserting that there is “no causal link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism” and “a strong base of evidence shows that acetaminophen, when taken as directed, is safe for use during pregnancy.”
Research shows there is no association between taking acetaminophen during pregnancy and the risk of developing autism. Acetaminophen is currently one of very few over-the-counter medications approved to treat pain or fever during pregnancy. In fact, fevers can be detrimental to a fetus’ health; research shows that in early pregnancy, the issue can cause neural tube defects, heart defects and more.
People who work in the medical community are alarmed by the Trump administration’s statements on acetaminophen and the implications those statements have for pregnant people, people with autism and more. HuffPost asked medical experts to share their unfiltered thoughts on the news. Here’s what they had to say.
Some last names have been removed to protect privacy, and some responses have been lightly edited for length, style and clarity.
Bloomberg via Getty Images
Trump’s statements were “reckless and irresponsible.”
“The president’s remarks were both reckless and irresponsible. He advised pregnant patients to avoid Tylenol (acetaminophen) without presenting any credible evidence of harm, suggesting they should simply ‘tough it out.’ In reality, untreated pain and fever pose serious risks during pregnancy, and acetaminophen remains the only safe option we have.” ―Dr. Eric Burnett, an internal medicine doctor at an academic medical center in New York and a health communicator on social media
They’re also “cruel” and could be “dangerous for fetal outcomes.”
“It’s incredibly cruel to punish, frighten and shame pregnant people like this. Pregnancy is already so physically taxing on the body. Telling women in pain or experiencing fevers to ‘tough it out’ is senseless, unscientific and dangerous for fetal outcomes.” ―Jessica Malaty Rivera, an infectious disease epidemiologist
“Sweeping claims” cause unnecessary and unfair guilt for parents of children with autism.
“Autism is complex, and we need to be very careful about what conclusions we take from observational studies. Larger, higher-quality sibling studies that control for other factors (like genetics) have found no link between acetaminophen exposure and autism.
Just because there is a link between two things does not mean that one causes the other. The analogy I like to use is that more people eat ice cream during the summer AND there are more shark bites during the summer. But that doesn’t mean ice cream-eating causes shark bites. I think these headlines and claims also disregard the fact that untreated pain and fever in pregnancy carry real risks to both mom and baby (and also increase the risk for neurodevelopmental conditions). Making sweeping claims without incorporating all of the data also increases guilt unnecessarily for parents whose children do have an autism diagnosis, and causes further stigma around the diagnosis.” ―Dr. Krupa Playforth, board-certified pediatrician and founder of The Pediatrician Mom
There is “no association between acetaminophen and autism.”
“The recent claims linking Tylenol to autism place immense guilt on mothers who used the only fever reducer and over-the-counter pain medication recommended as safe during pregnancy … Honestly, this is, simply put, cruel. The largest study we have to date out of [Sweden] included 2.5 million children, controlled for genetic and possible environmental exposures in a sibling-matched analysis, and showed NO association between acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol) and autism.
My biggest concern with the claims between a causal link in autism (without any studies to prove causation) is fetuses will be exposed to fevers, which we KNOW [cause] neural tube defects, cardiac defects and potential neurodevelopmental disorders. Acetaminophen is the ONLY over-the-counter fever reducer available to pregnant individuals.
More troubling is the underlying premise that treats autism as a preventable tragedy rather than recognizing it as neurological difference. This messaging deeply stigmatizes millions of children and adults who are living fulfilling lives and contributing unique strengths to our communities. Sensationalizing unproven theories perpetuates the harmful narrative that autism is something to fear, rather than embracing neurodiversity and supporting autistic people to thrive. I truly worry that this rhetoric will lead to harm to these children (and adults). ―Dr. Anita Patel, a pediatric critical care doctor in Washington, D.C.
This guidance is “ignorance dressed up as policy.”
“‘Tough it out.’ Hearing a group of men say that about pregnancy? My God. I would love to see one of them pregnant and hear them repeat that line. Women don’t just take Tylenol for fun. They take it for fever, which we know can harm a pregnancy if untreated, and for pain, when there truly aren’t safer options for the fetus.
So, telling pregnant people to just ‘tough it out’ isn’t medical advice — it’s ignorance dressed up as policy.” ―Dr. Mona Amin, a pediatrician in Florida and founder of @pedsdoctalk
This move will have “devastating effects for decades.”
“I am full of rage. The decision to blatantly disregard science and blame mothers for the cause of autism will have devastating effects for decades.” —Kim, a nurse anesthetist in Pennsylvania
This may lead to “health care choices that could potentially place a pregnant woman and her child at grave risk.”
“How can women make responsible, research-based decisions about their reproductive health and that of their unborn children when those in positions of power and influence use their platforms to spin and disregard established data? The result is, at best, mass confusion at a time where a woman is especially vulnerable, and at worst, health care choices that could potentially place a pregnant woman and her child at grave risk.
And ultimately, who is left responsible for the outcome of the pregnancy? Women.” — Jessica McCarthy, a clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist and founder of Elements Psychological Services
Bottom line: Trust the medical professionals who “are working tirelessly to keep you safe and healthy.”
“It concerns me that this administration continues to provide recommendations not rooted in science to a society that is already vulnerable to misinformation and medical skepticism. We are trained for years in how to analyze real scientific data. Please place your trust in your medical team. We are not manipulated or influenced by anything other than facts. Facts that will keep you and your children as healthy as possible. Please do not take medical advice from someone without a medical degree. The system may be broken, but the humans in it are working tirelessly to keep you safe and healthy.” ―Sam, a nurse practitioner in Florida
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