'Don't pay any attention to Trump's comments about autism and paracetamol,' says Health Secretary
Major 2024 study found no link between paracetamol use in pregnancy and an increased risk of autism in children
The public has been urged to pay no attention to Donald Trump after he made comments linking paracetamol to autism.
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The US president has been roundly criticised for ‘dangerous’ comments where he said the drug “is no good” and urged pregnant women to “fight like hell” to avoid taking it.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said today: “I’ve just got to be really clear about this: there is no evidence to link the use of paracetamol by pregnant women to autism in their children. None.
"Don’t pay any attention whatsoever to what Donald Trump says about medicine. In fact, don’t take even take my word for it, as a politician – listen to British doctors, British scientists, the NHS."
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Meanwhile the UK’s medicines watchdog said: “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.
“Our advice on medicines in pregnancy is based on rigorous assessment of the best available scientific evidence.”
In his White House announcement, Mr Trump said: “There are certain groups of people that don’t take vaccines and don’t take any pills, that have no autism.”
Turning to US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr he asked: “Is that a correct statement?”
Mr Trump said the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would be notifying all US doctors with new guidance about paracetamol.
“Ideally, you don’t take it at all, but if you have to, if you can’t tough it out, if there’s a problem, you’re going to end up doing it.”
Mel Merritt, head of policy and campaigns at the National Autistic Society, said: “The incessant misinformation about autism from President Trump and Robert F Kennedy Jr risks undermining decades of research by respected experts in the field.
“Understandably, autistic people will be dismayed and frightened by this announcement, and we would urge our government and the NHS to stand by autistic people and to condemn this misinformation. To do otherwise risks creating further fear, stigmatisation and harm.
“We urge anyone looking for information about autism to visit websites from trusted organisations such as the NHS and the National Autistic Society.”
Experts say the rise in cases in the US is mainly because of a new definition for the disorder that now includes mild cases on a spectrum and better diagnoses.
In the UK, the NHS website says “paracetamol is the first choice of painkiller if you’re pregnant. It’s commonly taken during pregnancy and does not harm your baby”.
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 2.4 million 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.”
Dr Botha added: “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.”
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.”
In August this year, a study from Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health and Mount Sinai hospital 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.
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.