Trump: Tylenol Use During Pregnancy May Raise Autism Risk
U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that the active ingredient in Tylenol, acetaminophen, may increase the risk of autism when taken during pregnancy. He also warned against the excessive use of vaccines in children.
Speaking at the White House, President Donald Trump said that the common pain reliever Tylenol could pose risks for unborn babies when used during pregnancy. “We see that taking Tylenol is not good. For this reason, pregnant women are strongly advised to limit its use unless medically necessary,” he stated.
Trump added: “Today, together with America’s top medical experts, we are announcing historic steps to address the autism crisis. The meteoric rise in autism is one of the most alarming public health developments in history. Nothing like this has ever been seen before.”
He also cautioned about over-vaccination in children, saying: “Too much liquid, too many different things are being given to small bodies. We’re talking about nearly 80 vaccines, and that level of exposure is simply too much.”
FDA and Health Department statements
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said new research could no longer be ignored, citing data from the Boston Birth Cohort, Nurses’ Health Study, and Mount Sinai-Harvard projects. According to Makary, the findings “establish a causal link between prenatal acetaminophen use and neurodevelopmental disorders, including ADHD and autism spectrum disorder.”
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. emphasized that multiple federal agencies — including NIH, FDA, CDC, and CMS — were working together to identify the causes of the autism epidemic. He criticized past research for focusing only on genetics: “That’s like studying lung cancer without considering cigarettes.”
Response from Tylenol manufacturer
Tylenol’s manufacturer, Kenvue, rejected the administration’s claims, stating: “Independent and sound science clearly shows that acetaminophen does not cause autism. Suggesting otherwise poses a serious health risk to expecting mothers.”
CDC data raises concern
A report released in April by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that autism diagnoses are on the rise. In 2022, one in every 31 eight-year-olds was diagnosed with autism, compared with one in 36 in 2000.
Kennedy highlighted environmental factors as a major concern: “This comes from an environmental toxin, and someone profited from putting that toxin into our air, water, medicine, and food. Normalizing this trend is dangerous for our country.”
