Trump Sparks Autism Fears with Bizarre Claim: ‘Paracetamol Causes Autism’ – But Experts Slam ‘Baseless’ Advice
- Donald Trump’s administration has sparked outrage with claims that paracetamol use during pregnancy can lead to autism.
- Top medical experts have rubbished the advice, saying there’s no scientific evidence to support it.
- Concerns have been raised that the false claim could deter expectant mothers from using paracetamol, putting their health and the health of their unborn child at risk.
Donald Trump has ignited a firestorm of controversy with his latest claim that paracetamol use during pregnancy can cause autism. However, leading medical experts have swiftly debunked the advice, labelling it ‘baseless’ and ‘misleading’.
Professor Andrew Whitehouse, a renowned researcher on autism, has dismissed the claim, saying there is ‘categorically no evidence’ to support it. ‘At best, this is a misreading of science; at worst, it is a misuse,’ he warned.
Whitehouse pointed to several studies that have found no link between paracetamol use and autism. ‘Women don’t take paracetamol during pregnancy on a whim,’ he emphasized. ‘What we know is that paracetamol is really effective in reducing fever in pregnancy, and also reducing pain. And there are consequences of not reducing fever or pain that can have implications for the health of the mum, as well as the health of the baby.’
Dr Danielle McMullen, President of the Australian Medical Association, has also weighed in, saying that paracetamol is considered safe to use during pregnancy. ‘Australian regulators consider paracetamol a category A medicine, which means it’s safe to use in pregnancy,’ she explained.
Norman Swan, host of Radio National’s Health Report, has criticized the studies cited by Trump, calling them ‘messy’ and ‘poorly conducted’. ‘When you have looked at the studies, the definition of what is wrong with the children has been loose, you’re not quite sure if the woman did take Tylenol, the paracetamol and what they took it for,’ he said.
Dr Hannah Kirk, a fellow at Monash University, has raised concerns that the false claim could raise anxiety among expectant parents. ‘Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition with no known single cause; however, research shows that genetics play a large role, with hundreds of genes being linked to autism,’ she explained.
Professor Scott White, Chair of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, has concluded that robust scientific evidence shows no link between paracetamol use in pregnancy and autism or ADHD. ‘Previous research raised concerns that exposure to paracetamol during pregnancy may increase the chance of the offspring being diagnosed with ASD or ADHD during childhood,’ he said. ‘However, the most recent and robust study to evaluate this association was published in 2024 by Ahlqvist et al. and found no association between paracetamol exposure and offspring neurodivergence.’