"Researchers are concerned about what will happen should pregnant women follow US President Donald Trump's advice to avoid the painkiller Tylenol - also called paracetamol and acetaminophen. In an address at the White House on 22 September, Trump claimed the medication is linked to autism and other long-term neurodevelopmental conditions in the developing child. But experts warn that avoiding the drug when it is needed could place women and their fetus at even greater risk."
"It is commonly used to relieve pain and reduce fevers, including those caused by viral infections such as the common cold and bacterial infections that cause urinary-tract or kidney conditions. On Monday, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that acetaminophen products would have a new warning label that lists a possible association between taking the drug and an increased chance of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism in children."
"The advice has been rejected by physicians, medical organizations and health regulators in many countries, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the UK Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration. The World Health Organization said in a statement that there is no "conclusive scientific evidence confirming a possible link". The drivers of ADHD and autism are complex and genetics plays a large part."
A public warning advised pregnant women to avoid acetaminophen, claiming links to autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions in children. Regulators added a label noting a possible association between prenatal acetaminophen use and increased chances of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism. Major medical organizations and several national regulators rejected the blanket avoidance advice, and WHO said there is no conclusive scientific evidence confirming a link. Paracetamol is commonly used and generally considered safe during pregnancy; clinicians warn that untreated high or prolonged fever and infections can increase risks to mother and fetus, so avoiding needed acetaminophen could be harmful.
Read at Nature
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