Donald Trump may have warned pregnant women shouldn’t use Tylenol, claiming it has been linked with autism — but the epidemiologist his administration cited insists it’s still safe to take.
The president, along with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., claimed Monday that the use of acetaminophen (also known as Tylenol) when pregnant has been linked to children developing autism spectrum disorder. Trump warned that the painkiller and fever reducer shouldn’t be taken “during the entire pregnancy.”
“All pregnant women should talk to their doctors for more information about limiting the use of this medication while pregnant,” he said. “So ideally, you don’t take it at all.”
The Trump administration cited a paper published last month evaluating existing research on the correlation between autism and Tylenol use in pregnant women. Ann Bauer, an epidemiologist and co-author on the paper, told Politico that the research shows pregnant women can still use the common painkiller, despite the president’s claims.
“What we recommend is judicious use — the lowest effective dose [for] the shortest duration of time under medical guidance and supervision, tailored to the individual,” Bauer said.
The Independent has contacted the White House for comment.
When Bauer learned that the Trump administration might cite her study earlier this month, she became concerned that her work would be linked to discredited theories, KFF Health News reports.
“I was sick to my stomach,” she told the outlet.
Many scientific experts maintain that the link between autism and acetaminophen use in pregnancy is minimal. For example, a major study in Sweden of more than 2 million children between 1995 and 2019 found that “acetaminophen use during pregnancy was not associated with children’s risk of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability in sibling control analyses.”
While Trump also claimed there’s “no downside” to avoiding Tylenol while pregnant, Dr. Helen Tager-Flusberg, professor emerita at Boston University and head of the Coalition of Autism Scientists, previously told The Independent it’s a “highly irresponsible” recommendation.
“I would say this is the concern of the entire autism community,” she said. “Scientists, individuals with autism, parents who have an autistic child, we’re all concerned that here’s a major announcement with significant implications that is simply not tied to the reality of the scientific evidence itself.”
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists also said the Trump administration’s announcement wasn’t rooted in solid evidence.
“Today’s announcement by HHS is not backed by the full body of scientific evidence and dangerously simplifies the many and complex causes of neurologic challenges in children,” said Steven Fleischman, the organization’s president.
A spokesperson for Kenvue, the company that makes Tylenol, similarly rejected the Trump administration’s claims.
“We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism,” the spokesperson said. “We strongly disagree with any suggestion otherwise and are deeply concerned with the health risk this poses for expecting mothers.”
