U.S. President Donald Trump has said doctors will soon be advised not to prescribe Tylenol to pregnant women, citing a possible link to autism.
Trump made the announcement on Monday, September 22, in the Oval Office alongside Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who said the FDA will issue a notice to physicians and begin changing the drug’s safety label.
However, medical groups strongly disagreed. According to AP, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said the claim is “not backed by the full body of scientific evidence” and warned that Tylenol (paracetamol) remains one of the only safe pain relievers for pregnant women.
Tylenol maker Kenvue also rejected the claims, saying the drug does not cause autism and removing it would put expecting mothers at risk of unsafe alternatives.
Research has been mixed. A Harvard-led review in 2023 suggested some association, while a 2024 study involving 2.4 million Swedish children found no link to autism, ADHD or intellectual disability.
Autism experts say there is no single cause, and warn against oversimplifying a complex condition
