President Donald Trump’s name for pregnant girls to keep away from Tylenol is drawing sharp criticism from researchers who say the recommendation ignores a long time of proof and will endanger moms and infants.
At a White Home occasion Monday, Trump linked acetaminophen, the energetic ingredient in Tylenol, to autism and inspired girls to powerful out fevers. The remarks, made alongside well being secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — a longtime critic of mainstream medication — rattled docs and drugmakers.
Mady Hornig, a New York physician-scientist who has studied pregnancy-related threat elements for autism and a spotlight deficit hyperactivity dysfunction for 25 years, mentioned the White Home’s message misrepresents the science round acetaminophen, which is also referred to as paracetamol in Europe and elsewhere.
“It seemed like they had indicated that there was evidence that prolonging a fever is a good thing,” Hornig, a visiting scientist on the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Analysis, Northwell Well being, mentioned in an interview. “It’s astonishing misinformation.”
Trump and Kennedy have each sought to problem well being steering and practices, typically counting on cherry-picked proof. The U.S. chief additionally has a report of selling unfounded medical theories.
The American School of Obstetricians and Gynecologists known as the newest recommendation on acetaminophen “irresponsible,” whereas the American Academy of Pediatrics additionally mentioned misrepresenting science does a “disservice” to autistic individuals. The U.Ok.’s Medicines and Healthcare Merchandise Regulatory Company mentioned there’s no proof that paracetamol causes autism and mentioned it stays protected throughout being pregnant.
Genetic threat
Hornig’s analysis, based mostly on the Norwegian Mom, Father and Little one Cohort Research of over 100,000 households, discovered that reasonable or excessive fevers in being pregnant have been linked to elevated autism threat, particularly within the second trimester.
“We found that there was about a 40% increased risk of autism without acetaminophen,” she mentioned. “That went down substantially with the use of acetaminophen.”
She careworn that fever itself, not a single drug, is a key issue.
“It’s clear that unmitigated fever, particularly where it is of a moderate level or higher, is something that has an impact on offspring to increase risk of autism,” she mentioned. “To allow women to have even a modest fever during pregnancy, which in and of itself can potentially cause damage and is associated in many studies with risk, is very worrisome.”
In preliminary, unpublished work, Hornig’s staff additionally noticed hints that acetaminophen taken for ache might carry completely different dangers. “There seems to be some pattern that suggested that for pain, it may not be the drug to use,” she added, although she cautioned the findings want extra examine.
A small variety of girls reported utilizing ibuprofen for fever throughout being pregnant. None of their kids developed autism, although Hornig careworn the numbers have been too small to attract conclusions.
The findings underscore what scientists have lengthy mentioned: autism doesn’t have a single trigger. Genetics, timing and surroundings all work together, Hornig mentioned, citing elements resembling parental age gaps, publicity to wildfire smoke and heavy metals, seasonal immune shifts and infections that set off fever.
“The idea that it’s going to be a singular cause is really kind of foolhardy, and it doesn’t go along with the things that we know,” she mentioned.
Hornig additionally urged extra precision in analysis. Frequent genetic variations in enzymes that assist break down acetaminophen might affect how safely a pregnant lady can metabolize the drug. Some labs are testing newborns’ meconium for poisonous byproducts of acetaminophen metabolism — a possible biomarker that would information safer decisions sooner or later.
“Our future generations deserve a personalized approach that looks at genetic risk, environmental exposures, and safer alternatives,” she mentioned.
For now, she mentioned, context issues. Acetaminophen stays broadly really helpful as a result of aspirin carries a threat of Reye’s syndrome and ibuprofen isn’t thought of protected later in being pregnant. However Hornig warned that discouraging remedy altogether — particularly with respiratory viruses like flu and Covid-19 nonetheless circulating — may go away girls susceptible.
Vaccination earlier than and through being pregnant, when indicated, stays the most effective safeguards in opposition to infections that set off fever, she added.
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Initially Printed: September 23, 2025 at 4:12 PM EDT
