- Trump says US doctors will be advised not to prescribe Tylenol to pregnant women.
- He claims a possible link between Tylenol use and autism, though scientific evidence is inconclusive.
- Tylenol’s manufacturer and major medical groups reject the claims, insisting it’s safe during pregnancy.
- FDA plans to issue warnings, update safety labels, and launch awareness campaigns.
- Experts caution that autism has complex causes with no single proven trigger.
US President Donald Trump has announced that American doctors will soon be advised against prescribing Tylenol to pregnant women, reigniting debate over the painkiller’s safety. The move, made public in the Oval Office alongside Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., follows disputed claims linking Tylenol’s active ingredient, acetaminophen, to autism.
Trump argued that pregnant women should only take the drug in cases of severe fever, calling the rising number of autism cases in the country a “horrible crisis.” Kennedy added that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would issue an advisory to physicians, push for new warning labels, and roll out a public health campaign to alert families.
He also revealed that the FDA will soon approve Leucovorin, an older drug originally used in chemotherapy treatments, as a therapy option for children with autism. Kennedy promised expanded testing and research to identify potential causes of autism.
The announcement has drawn sharp criticism from medical experts and Tylenol’s manufacturer, Kenvue. The company insists acetaminophen is the safest option for pain relief during pregnancy and warns that discouraging its use could put expectant mothers at risk of untreated fever or force them toward more dangerous alternatives.
Major health organizations, including the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, continue to recommend Tylenol as one of the safest medications for pregnant women. Research findings have been mixed: while some studies suggest a possible link between prenatal Tylenol exposure and autism, others—including a 2024 study—have found no evidence of such a connection.
Experts caution that autism is a complex condition influenced by genetic and environmental factors, not a single drug or exposure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that autism diagnoses among US 8-year-olds rose to 2.77% by 2020, though scientists attribute much of the increase to better awareness and broader diagnostic criteria.
Kennedy, who has previously promoted disproven vaccine theories, maintains that new efforts are needed to address the rise in autism cases. Still, researchers argue that oversimplifying the issue risks creating confusion and unnecessary fear among expectant mothers.
