A recent study has provided significant insights into whether there is a connection between Tylenol and autism, following claims made by President Trump.
Donald Trump brought attention to the subject by making several unsubstantiated health claims suggesting a link between the use of the common painkiller during pregnancy and the subsequent development of autism in children.
In response to these claims, the University of Liverpool in the UK launched a study to explore in detail whether there is truly any connection between Tylenol and autism.
Tylenol is a widely recognized brand name for acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol. The study involved a comprehensive review of existing evidence on this common medication.
Professor Shakila Thangaratinam from the University of Liverpool led the research and shared insights from the findings.
What were the results of the study?
Despite the assertions made by the Trump administration, the study conclusively found no evidence of a link between the use of Tylenol by pregnant women and the likelihood of autism in their children.
Professor Thangaratinam stated: “Through this work, we have shown that based on current evidence, there is no clear link between women taking paracetamol during pregnancy and a diagnosis of autism or ADHD in their children.
“The findings should help healthcare professionals give evidence-based advice to women, and reassure mothers about the use of paracetamol during pregnancy if indicated.”
The research was conducted as an umbrella review, a comprehensive summary of existing evidence.
It assessed existing reviews on paracetamol use during pregnancy to verify any connections between the medication and the development of ADHD or autism in offspring.
This included an analysis of 40 observational studies on the subject, with individual assessments to check for bias in each paper.
The team then evaluated their confidence in each paper, categorizing them as critically low, low, medium, or high.
Professor Louise Kenny, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at the University of Liverpool, noted that although no clear link was found, the study highlighted the broader issue of medical misogyny affecting health outcomes.
Professor Kenny remarked: “Current evidence does not demonstrate a clear link between paracetamol use in pregnancy and autism but our work also demonstrates how poor the data is around medications in pregnancy.
“This highlights the wider problem of historic and continuing underinvestment in women’s health research.”
The research findings were published in the British Medical Journal, and despite some limitations, the researchers emphasized that it underscores the lack of strong evidence connecting paracetamol use during pregnancy with autism and ADHD in children.