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 – also called 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 the usage of the drug throughout being pregnant, in feedback laced with unproven – and, in some circumstances, false – claims.
Here’s what he stated, and what the information say, concerning 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 information 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 the usage of a – nicely, let’s see how we are saying that acetaminophen – is that OK? Which is mainly generally often called Tylenol throughout being pregnant, could be related to a really elevated threat of autism,” he stated.
He went on to warn that Tylenol use throughout being pregnant needs to be prevented except completely essential.
“So taking Tylenol isn’t 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 except medically essential. That’s, for example, in circumstances of extraordinarily excessive fever, that you just really feel you possibly can’t powerful it out. You possibly can’t do it. I assume there’s that.”
Trump then shifted to his broader issues about vaccines, arguing towards mixture pictures – just like the MMR vaccine towards 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 motive to offer a child that’s virtually simply born, hepatitis B. So I’d say, wait until the newborn 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. They usually have nearly 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 US, it’s recognised as a type of neurodivergence and incapacity beneath the Individuals with Disabilities Act. In line with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC), autism can form how somebody communicates, learns, and interacts with the world, usually in methods which can be merely totally different from most individuals.
Youngsters diagnosed with autism can even have difficulties with social, emotional and communication abilities. This could become traits that may have an effect on interplay with others and issue in studying.
What causes autism?
Autism has been linked to a posh mixture of genetic and developmental elements, and it appears totally different for each particular person. Scientists have recognized lots of of genes that may play a job, both handed down from mother and father or showing as new mutations throughout early mind improvement.
In line with the US Nationwide Institute of Environmental Well being Sciences, sure environmental influences could improve 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
- Start issues resulting in durations of oxygen deprivation to the newborn’s mind.
Is autism on the rise within the US?
At first look, that’s what the numbers would counsel.
Figures from the CDC present that in 2022, 1 in 31 eight-year-old youngsters have been recognized with autism within the US, up from 1 in 149 in 2000.
In line with the CDC, the situation can be about thrice extra frequent in boys than in women.
Globally, estimates fluctuate. The World Well being Group (WHO) reported in 2021 that about 1 in 127 folks worldwide have been residing with autism. Equally, a 2022 overview of 71 research discovered a median 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 information won’t 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.
In line with specialists, there are two essential elements behind the rise in autism diagnoses. First, the definition of autism has broadened as scientists have recognised its broad 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 (also called paracetamol) is without doubt one of the most generally used over-the-counter ache relievers and fever reducers.
For more 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 overview prompt proof for broader neurodevelopmental dangers.
However affiliation isn’t the identical as causation. The biggest and most rigorous examine 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.
In line with the Autism Science Basis, claims of a connection stay “restricted, conflicting, and inconsistent”.
“The massive reveal about autism was a complete bust filled with misinformation,” Arthur L Caplan, an American ethicist and professor of bioethics on the NYU Grossman College of Medication, advised Al Jazeera.
“There isn’t any knowledge to point out Tylenol causes autism and many knowledge to point out that fever in pregnant girls harms the fetus,” he added.
To make certain, even with out a Tylenol-autism hyperlink, most medical doctors “will most likely inform pregnant girls they need to at all times watch out about treatment”, Catherine Lord, a professor of psychiatry at UCLA who specialises in autism, advised Al Jazeera.
However these medical doctors will doubtless additionally warning girls to not keep away from taking medicines after they have a fever throughout being pregnant, she stated. “Additionally they want to grasp that having a excessive fever or being in ache isn’t 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?
Over time, autism has been wrongly linked to many supposed causes. Essentially the most infamous was the false vaccine-autism hyperlink from a 1998 examine, now absolutely debunked. That examine 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 examine, 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” principle blamed mother and father who have been perceived to lack ample emotional heat with their youngsters 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 faculties and paediatric clinics that present analysis and remedy for youngsters with autism.
In Cuba, acetaminophen is generally called paracetamol and is bought in authorities pharmacies. In different phrases, it is extremely a lot out there and used as in different components of the world.
In line with a 2022 examine, Cuba had an autism incidence of about 2 to 4 per 10,000 youngsters in some settings. Whereas analysis on autism diagnoses in Cuba is far more restricted than within the US, the information from the 2022 examine exhibits a far decrease price of recognised circumstances than within the US – regardless of the presence of acetaminophen.
