President Donald Trump has claimed that taking Tylenol (acetaminophen) during pregnancy could increase the risk of autism in unborn babies, a statement that has drawn immediate pushback from medical experts and the drug’s manufacturer.
Speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump said the pain reliever’s active ingredient was tied to “a very increased risk of autism” and urged pregnant women to avoid the drug unless medically necessary.
“The meteoric rise in autism is among the most alarming public health developments in history. There’s never been anything like this,” Trump said.
The president added that his administration is taking “historic steps to confront the crisis of autism,” including a major research initiative launched earlier this year. He also repeated long-standing concerns about what he called “over-vaccinating” children.
At the press conference, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary cited studies such as the Boston Birth Cohort, Nurses’ Health Study, and Mount Sinai-Harvard research, arguing that new data points to “a causal relationship between prenatal acetaminophen use and neurodevelopmental disorders of ADHD and autism spectrum disorder.”
The remarks quickly prompted a response from Kenvue, maker of Tylenol, which said it “strongly disagrees” with the administration’s assessment.
“Independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism,” a company spokesperson said. “We are deeply concerned about the health risk this poses for expecting mothers.”
While Trump framed the findings as a breakthrough, public health experts warned against discouraging pregnant women from using one of the few pain relievers considered safe during pregnancy without a clear scientific consensus.
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