Trump attacks Tylenol as officials unveil highly contentious conclusions on autism

"After months of widely trumpeted investigations spearheaded by the health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, Donald Trump announced that pregnant women should limit their use of acetaminophen, usually branded as Tylenol in the US or paracetamol elsewhere, which he claimed heightens the risk of autism when it used by pregnant women, an assertion hotly contested by scientists internationally and contradicted by studies."

"Speaking from the White House, flanked by Kennedy, the president said he had waited for 20 years for this meeting and added: It's not that everything's 100% understood or known, but I think we've made a lot of strides. But he declared: Taking Tylenol is not good All pregnant women should talk to their doctors about limiting the use of this medication while pregnant. Later, he reinforced the comment, saying: Don't take Tylenol. There's no downside."

"He also spoke about upcoming recommendations that vaccines such as the measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) shots should be given in a delayed manner or in smaller doses, despite limited evidence of the impacts. And he spoke about the hepatitis B shot, currently given to newborns as part of national vaccine standards, and possible recommendations to delay the first dose, again with limited evidence."

The Trump administration announced conclusions linking acetaminophen use during pregnancy to a heightened risk of autism and advised pregnant women to limit Tylenol use and consult doctors. Officials proposed possible changes to vaccination schedules, including delaying or reducing doses for MMRV and postponing the newborn hepatitis B shot despite limited supporting evidence. The administration unveiled plans to work with the FDA to change acetaminophen labeling and to investigate leucovorin as a potential autism treatment. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. led investigations cited by the administration. Scientists internationally contest the acetaminophen-autism assertion and cite contradictory studies.

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