President Donald Trump has once again issued a significant warning to expectant mothers and parents about the use of a common medication, advising against its use unless absolutely necessary.
Previously, Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suggested a potential connection between acetaminophen, found in Tylenol, and an increased risk of autism, despite the lack of supporting evidence for this claim.
During a press briefing, the 79-year-old advised against the use of Tylenol by pregnant women, saying: “I think you shouldn’t take it, and you shouldn’t take it during the entire pregnancy.”
Many health authorities, including the World Health Organization (WHO), have dismissed the notion that acetaminophen can lead to neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and ADHD.
Prior to Trump’s statement on September 22, Kenvue, the company behind Tylenol, addressed these claims by emphasizing that “sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism.”
The company stated: “Nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of the people who use our products.”
“We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism. We strongly disagree with allegations that it does and are deeply concerned about the health risks and confusion this poses for expecting mothers and parents.”
Trump has now reiterated his warning, urging pregnant women to avoid Tylenol unless absolutely necessary.
“Pregnant Women, DON’T USE TYLENOL UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, DON’T GIVE TYLENOL TO YOUR YOUNG CHILD FOR VIRTUALLY ANY REASON,” he shared on Truth Social on October 26.
In addition, Trump suggested that parents should administer vaccines to their children separately.
“BREAK UP THE MMR SHOT INTO THREE TOTALLY SEPARATE SHOTS (NOT MIXED!), TAKE CHICKEN P SHOT SEPARATELY, TAKE HEPATITAS [sic] B SHOT AT 12 YEARS OLD, OR OLDER, AND, IMPORTANTLY, TAKE VACCINE IN 5 SEPARATE MEDICAL VISITS!” Trump added, signing off as ‘President DJT’.
Trump has previously advocated for separate administration of vaccines, particularly for mumps, measles, and rubella (MMR), suggesting that combining them could pose issues.
The alleged connection between autism and the MMR vaccine, which gained attention after Andrew Wakefield’s 1998 paper on ‘autistic enterocolitis’, has been discredited by several studies. The Lancet, which published the original paper, retracted it, as evidence showed no link between the vaccine and autism (via the BBC).
Trump’s post also referenced a report accusing the FDA of remaining ‘silent’ despite purported internal warnings about the risks associated with Tylenol.
After Trump’s remarks regarding autism and Tylenol, health experts, including Steven J. Fleischman, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), have expressed alarm over the potential harm of these assertions.
Fleischman described the implication as ‘highly concerning’ and ‘irresponsible given the harmful and confusing message they send to pregnant patients’.