WHO and Medical Bodies Reject Trump's Acetaminophen-Autism Link Claims Amidst Public Health Concerns

The World Health Organization (WHO) and leading medical groups have strongly refuted recent claims by the Trump administration, backed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., suggesting a link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism. The Wall Street Journal's opinion section criticized these assertions, stating the evidence is "weak" and could harm maternal and fetal health by raising public fear about a useful medicine.

On September 22, the Trump administration issued new health guidance, with President Donald J. Trump stating, "Taking Tylenol is not good… all pregnant women should talk to their doctors about limiting the use of this medication while pregnant." The administration cited large-scale cohort studies, including the Nurses’ Health Study II and the Boston Birth Cohort, and reviews from institutions like Harvard and Mount Sinai, which reported associations between in utero exposure and later diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

However, the WHO unequivocally rejected these claims on September 24, stating, "Extensive research, including large-scale studies over the past decade, has found no consistent association." The organization emphasized that previous studies raising alarms were "flawed and have since been discredited," urging pregnant women to continue following their doctors' advice. Similarly, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) called the suggestions "irresponsible," warning of the harmful message sent to pregnant patients.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) initiated a process for a label change for acetaminophen to reflect a "possible association" but clarified that a "causal relationship has not been established and there are contrary studies in the scientific literature." This cautious stance contrasts with a large-scale Swedish cohort study published in JAMA, which found no evidence of a link between acetaminophen use in pregnancy and autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability when sibling-controlled analyses were applied, attributing earlier findings to "familial confounding."

Medical experts, including Dr. Steven Fleischman of ACOG, have warned that discouraging acetaminophen use could lead to untreated fevers, which pose greater risks to pregnancy. Tylenol maker Kenvue also stated, "science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism." The ongoing debate highlights the tension between political messaging and established scientific consensus regarding public health recommendations.