US President Donald Trump on Monday urged pregnant women to avoid acetaminophen — the active ingredient in Tylenol — citing a possible link between its use and rising autism rates in the country.
The remarks, made at the White House alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., sparked immediate backlash from leading medical associations, who called the claims unproven and potentially harmful.
Trump’s Remarks and Policy Push
Speaking at a press briefing, Trump said, “Women should not take acetaminophen during the entire pregnancy,” and claimed that his administration is investigating the connection between Tylenol use and autism. He also echoed long-standing concerns about vaccines, aligning with Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” campaign, which has pushed for greater scrutiny of autism’s root causes.
Trump further announced that his administration has begun the approval process for leucovorin calcium tablets as a potential treatment for certain conditions linked to autism, though experts caution that evidence supporting its effectiveness remains limited.
Medical Community’s Response
Health experts were quick to warn that the president’s statements could fuel unnecessary panic.
Dr. Steven Fleischman, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said avoiding treatment could be riskier than taking acetaminophen:
“Not treating a fever probably has more adverse effects that you need to worry about than taking the medication,” he said, urging pregnant women not to feel guilt over past use.
Dr. Susan Kressly, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, stressed that there is no credible link between vaccines or Tylenol and autism.
“Any effort to misrepresent sound, strong science poses a threat to the health of children,” she warned.
Dr. Emily Carter of Johns Hopkins University added that autism is influenced by a complex mix of genetic and environmental factors, with no single proven cause.
Call for Further Research
David Mandell, associate director at the Center for Autism Research, noted that while some studies on leucovorin show promise, large-scale trials are still needed. “The Coalition of Autism Scientists supports a well-designed national study,” he said.
