UK experts condemn paracetamol ‘fearmongering’ expected from Trump officials

UK experts have condemned “fearmongering” in the US after it was reported Donald Trump’s administration will say there is a link between paracetamol use in pregnancy and autism.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said that there is “no evidence” that taking paracetamol during pregnancy causes autism in children.

It comes after the Wall Street Journal reported that US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr is expected to say Tylenol – which is paracetamol in the UK – is a potential cause of autism.

Trump said himself on Saturday: “I think we found an answer to autism.”

According to the paper, a forthcoming federal report will also recommend a specific type of vitamin folate as a potential treatment for the disorder.

Scientists in the UK reacted strongly, with one warning that the claim “risks stigmatising families who have autistic children as having brought it on themselves.”

The NHS also advises that paracetamol is the first-choice painkiller in pregnancy, saying: “It’s commonly taken during pregnancy and does not harm your baby.”

Dr Alison Cave, Chief Safety Officer at the MHRA, said: “Patient safety is our top priority. There is no evidence that taking paracetamol during pregnancy causes autism in children.

“Paracetamol remains the recommended pain relief option for pregnant women when used as directed. Pregnant women should continue to follow existing NHS guidance and speak to their healthcare professional if they have questions about any medication during pregnancy. Untreated pain and fever can pose risks to the unborn baby, so it is important to manage these symptoms with the recommended treatment.

“Our advice on medicines in pregnancy is based on rigorous assessment of the best available scientific evidence. Any new evidence that could affect our recommendations would be carefully evaluated by our independent scientific experts.

“We continuously monitor the safety of all medicines, including those used during pregnancy, through robust monitoring and surveillance. We encourage anyone to report any suspected side effects to us via the Yellow Card scheme.”

Dr Monique Botha, associate professor in social and developmental psychology at Durham University, said: “There are many studies which refute a link, but the most important was a Swedish study of 2.4m births published in 2024 which used actual sibling data and found no relationship between exposure to paracetamol in utero and subsequent autism, ADHD or intellectual disability.

“This suggests no causal effect of paracetamol in autism.

“There is no robust evidence or convincing studies to suggest there is any causal relationship, and any conclusions being drawn to the contrary are often motivated, under-evidenced, and unsupported by the most robust methods to answer this question.

“I am exceptionally confident in saying that no relationship exists.

“Similarly, pain relief for pregnant women is woefully lacking and paracetamol is a much safer pain relief option during pregnancy than basically any other alternative and we need to take pain seriously for women, including whilst pregnant.

“The fearmongering will prevent women from accessing the appropriate care during pregnancy.

“Further, it risks stigmatising families who have autistic children as having brought it on themselves and reinvigorates the long pattern of maternal shame and blame as we’ve seen re-emerge repeatedly over the last 70 years where we try to pay the fault of autism at the mother’s door one way or another.”

Dimitrios Siassakos, professor in obstetrics and gynaecology at University College London and honorary consultant in obstetrics at University College London Hospital (UCLH), said: “Autism results from several factors, often combined, particularly genetic predisposition, and sometimes low oxygen at the time of birth as a result of complications.

“Research has shown that any apparent marginal increase as a result of paracetamol/acetaminophen use in pregnancy tends to disappear when the analyses take into account the factors that matter most.

“For example, in studies looking at siblings, any association disappeared – it was the family history that mattered and not the use of paracetamol.

“Undue focus on paracetamol would risk preventing families from using one of the safest medications to use in pregnancy when needed.”

Professor Claire Anderson, president of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, said: “Paracetamol has been used safely by millions of people for decades, including during pregnancy, when taken as directed.

“It is the first-line choice for pain management and fever control in a variety of patients, including pregnant women, children and the elderly.

“A large study conducted in 2024 found no evidence of a link between paracetamol use in pregnancy and an increased risk of autism in children.

“This research, which followed over 2.4 million children, provides reassurance for expectant parents that paracetamol remains a safe option for managing pain or fever during pregnancy when used as recommended.”

In August this year, a study from Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health and Mount Sinai reported that exposure to acetaminophen, which is also known as Tylenol or paracetamol, during pregnancy may mean children were more likely to develop neurodevelopmental disorders including autism and ADHD.

Published in BMC Environmental Health, the researchers analysed results from 46 previous studies.

They concluded that, while steps should be taken to limit acetaminophen use, the drug was important for treating fever and pain in mothers, which could also harm babies.

“We recommend judicious acetaminophen use – lowest effective dose, shortest duration – under medical guidance, tailored to individual risk-benefit assessments, rather than a broad limitation,” they said.