President Donald Trump has urged pregnant girls to keep away from taking Tylenol, pointing to an unproven declare that hyperlinks the painkiller to autism.
Talking from the Oval Workplace with Well being Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, Trump claimed that acetaminophen, the principle ingredient in Tylenol – often known as paracetamol in most components of the world – was “no good” and may solely be utilized in being pregnant when there’s a excessive fever.
He then outlined steps his administration would take to limit using the drug throughout being pregnant, in feedback laced with unproven – and, in some instances, false – claims.
Here’s what he stated, and what the details say, in regards to the drug, autism and whether or not Cuba, as Trump claimed at one level, doesn’t have autism.
What did Trump announce?
Trump opened the occasion by calling autism a “horrible, horrible disaster”.
“The meteoric rise in autism is among the many most alarming public well being developments in historical past. There’s by no means been something like this,” Trump stated, though specialists level out that the info on autism solely captures elevated diagnoses – not essentially an increase within the incidence of autism itself.
Trump then laid out his administration’s plans to deal with the “disaster”.
“First, efficient instantly, the FDA might be notifying physicians that using a – properly, let’s see how we are saying that acetaminophen – is that OK? Which is principally generally often called Tylenol throughout being pregnant, will be related to a really elevated threat of autism,” he stated.
He went on to warn that Tylenol use throughout being pregnant must be prevented until completely obligatory.
“So taking Tylenol is just not good. All proper. I’ll say it. It’s not good. Because of this, they’re strongly recommending that girls restrict Tylenol use throughout being pregnant until medically obligatory. That’s, as an example, in instances of extraordinarily excessive fever, that you just really feel you possibly can’t robust it out. You’ll be able to’t do it. I assume there’s that.”
Trump then shifted to his broader considerations about vaccines, arguing in opposition to mixture photographs – just like the MMR vaccine in opposition to measles, mumps and rubella – though they’ve been confirmed to be secure in a number of rounds of analysis.
He additionally questioned giving newborns the hepatitis B vaccine.
“Hepatitis B is sexually transmitted. There’s no purpose to provide a child that’s nearly simply born, hepatitis B. So I’d say, wait until the infant is 12 years outdated and shaped and take hepatitis B.”
Lastly, Trump repeated a declare that nations with out Tylenol, like Cuba, have little or no autism – framing it as proof.
“I imply, there’s a hearsay, and I don’t know if it’s so or not, that Cuba, they don’t have Tylenol as a result of they don’t have the cash for Tylenol. And so they have just about no autism, OK. Inform me about that one.”
President Donald J. Trump, @SecKennedy, @DrOzCMS, @NIHDirector_Jay, & @DrMakaryFDA announce the Autism Motion Plan.
Make America Wholesome Once more. pic.twitter.com/1inEvIecYU
— The White Home (@WhiteHouse) September 22, 2025
As with Trump’s different claims on the occasion, his assertion about Cuba doesn’t stand as much as scrutiny – as we’ll get to in a bit.
However first …
What’s autism?
Autism, or autism spectrum dysfunction (ASD), is a developmental situation that’s skilled by folks in many alternative methods. In the USA, it’s recognised as a type of neurodivergence and incapacity beneath the Individuals with Disabilities Act. Based on the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC), autism can form how somebody communicates, learns, and interacts with the world, typically in methods which are merely completely different from most individuals.
Youngsters identified with autism can even have difficulties with social, emotional and communication expertise. This will grow to be traits that may have an effect on interplay with others and problem in studying.
What causes autism?
Autism has been linked to a fancy mixture of genetic and developmental elements, and it seems completely different for each particular person. Scientists have recognized a whole bunch of genes that may play a job, both handed down from mother and father or showing as new mutations throughout early mind growth.
Based on the US Nationwide Institute of Environmental Well being Sciences, sure environmental influences might enhance autism threat, together with:
- Superior parental age
- Prenatal publicity to air air pollution or sure pesticides
- Maternal weight problems, diabetes or immune system issues
- Excessive prematurity or very low beginning weight
- Beginning issues resulting in intervals of oxygen deprivation to the infant’s mind.
Is autism on the rise within the US?
At first look, that’s what the numbers would recommend.
Figures from the CDC present that in 2022, 1 in 31 eight-year-old kids had been recognized with autism within the US, up from 1 in 149 in 2000.
Based on the CDC, the situation can be about 3 times extra widespread in boys than in ladies.
Globally, estimates differ. The World Well being Group (WHO) reported in 2021 that about 1 in 127 folks worldwide had been residing with autism. Equally, a 2022 evaluate of 71 research discovered a mean prevalence of about 1 p.c.
These numbers have been cited by some, like supporters of US Well being Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, to argue that the US faces a very acute problem with autism, and have been used to justify crackdowns on medication like Tylenol.
However specialists warn that the info may not essentially agree with these assertions and the measures that the Trump administration is taking.
Why are the numbers going up?
First, say specialists, evaluating autism charges throughout nations is problematic due to variations in diagnostic practices, consciousness and entry to healthcare – all of which have an effect on how prevalence is measured and reported.
The elevated numbers within the US, they level out, solely exhibit a pointy rise in diagnoses – not essentially an increase within the incidence of autism itself.
Based on specialists, there are two fundamental elements behind the rise in autism diagnoses. First, the definition of autism has broadened as scientists have recognised its vast spectrum of traits and signs. This has led to up to date diagnostic standards and higher screening instruments.
On the identical time, rising consciousness has meant that extra mother and father are searching for evaluations.
What about acetaminophen?
Acetaminophen (often known as paracetamol) is without doubt one of the most generally used over-the-counter ache relievers and fever reducers.
For greater than a decade, researchers have studied whether or not acetaminophen use throughout being pregnant is linked to developmental issues. Findings have been blended: Some research reported associations with autism, whereas a 2025 Mount Sinai evaluate recommended proof for broader neurodevelopmental dangers.
However affiliation is just not the identical as causation. The biggest and most rigorous research so far, revealed in 2024, discovered no hyperlink between prenatal acetaminophen use and autism, ADHD, or different studying or developmental issues. Consultants notice that the best-quality research up to now present no proof of hurt from acetaminophen.
Based on the Autism Science Basis, claims of a connection stay “restricted, conflicting, and inconsistent”.
“The large reveal about autism was a complete bust filled with misinformation,” Arthur L Caplan, an American ethicist and professor of bioethics on the NYU Grossman Faculty of Medication, advised Al Jazeera.
“There isn’t any knowledge to point out Tylenol causes autism and plenty of knowledge to point out that fever in pregnant girls harms the fetus,” he added.
To make certain, even and not using a Tylenol-autism hyperlink, most medical doctors “will most likely inform pregnant girls they need to all the time watch out about medicine”, Catherine Lord, a professor of psychiatry at UCLA who specialises in autism, advised Al Jazeera.
However these medical doctors will probably additionally warning girls to not keep away from taking medicines once they have a fever throughout being pregnant, she stated. “In addition they want to understand that having a excessive fever or being in ache is just not good for a rising child, both, so they need to seek the advice of their physician,” she added.
Have there been different claims about what causes autism?
Through the years, autism has been wrongly linked to many supposed causes. Essentially the most infamous was the false vaccine-autism hyperlink from a 1998 research, now totally debunked. That research claimed an affiliation between the MMR vaccine – the identical one which Trump focused on Monday – and autism. The Lancet, the extremely revered British journal that revealed that research, retracted it 12 years later, in 2010.
Different debated elements embrace prenatal drugs or antidepressants, environmental toxins, and weight loss program, however the proof is weak or inconsistent. Earlier, the discredited “fridge mom” idea blamed mother and father who had been perceived to lack sufficient emotional heat with their kids for increased dangers of autism.
And eventually, is it true, as Trump claims, that autism doesn’t exist in Cuba?
It’s unfaithful – and if something, Cuba undercuts Trump’s argument.
Cuba formally recognises autism spectrum dysfunction (ASD). There are a number of specialised colleges and paediatric clinics that present prognosis and remedy for kids with autism.
In Cuba, acetaminophen is commonly known as paracetamol and is bought in authorities pharmacies. In different phrases, it is vitally a lot out there and used as in different components of the world.
Based on a 2022 research, Cuba had an autism incidence of about 2 to 4 per 10,000 kids in some settings. Whereas analysis on autism diagnoses in Cuba is far more restricted than within the US, the info from the 2022 research reveals a far decrease charge of recognised instances than within the US – regardless of the presence of acetaminophen.
