Trump and co think paracetamol leads to autism; here’s what’s happening
During Charlie Kirk’s memorial on Sunday, Trump announced that they have the answer to autism, and would make the biggest medical announcement on Monday.
- Sep 22, 2025,
- Updated Sep 22, 2025 12:41 PM IST
US President Donald Trump and his Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr are of the view that using Tylenol during pregnancy contributes to autism. Tylenol is better known with another name in India – paracetamol.
During Charlie Kirk’s memorial on Sunday, Trump announced that they have the answer to autism, and would make the biggest medical announcement on Monday, leading many to believe that he is likely to make the announcement about paracetamol. Before Trump said it over the weekend, the Wall Street Journal had reported that the Department of Health and Human Services planned to link autism to Tylenol use in pregnancy.
Trump is also expected to mention leucovorin, a cancer and anaemia drug, as a potential therapy for people with autism.
IS IT TRUE?
To begin with, Kennedy also believes that environmental factors are causing a rise in autism. He also suspects that vaccines are involved, despite evidence that points otherwise. Public health experts, however, believe that the rise in autism is due to changing diagnostic criteria as well as more attention to the condition, as reported in Politico.
A senior official told the news site that Trump officials were divided about the autism issue. Even Kennedy, who believes there is a link between paracetamol and autism, has been reluctant to warn the public, it said. Even so, around a dozen working groups will examine 30 hypotheses about potential causes.
Moreover, a recent review of existing research published in the journal BMC Environmental Health, which was co-authored by the dean of Harvard’s TH Chan School of Public Health, Dr Andrea Baccarelli, did link acetaminophen (paracetamol) to autism, the report stated. It advised “judicious” use of acetaminophen in pregnant women, but did not ask them to not use it.
Kirk Perry, interim CEO of Kenvue that makes Tylenol had reportedly asked Kennedy to not cite Tylenol as a cause, which is one of the company’s top brands, the report added. A company spokesperson also told the news site that they strongly disagreed with the suggestion linking Tylenol to autism. The spokesperson said it could lead to a dangerous choice between enduring pain that could be harmful for them and the babies, and taking riskier painkillers.
US President Donald Trump and his Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr are of the view that using Tylenol during pregnancy contributes to autism. Tylenol is better known with another name in India – paracetamol.
During Charlie Kirk’s memorial on Sunday, Trump announced that they have the answer to autism, and would make the biggest medical announcement on Monday, leading many to believe that he is likely to make the announcement about paracetamol. Before Trump said it over the weekend, the Wall Street Journal had reported that the Department of Health and Human Services planned to link autism to Tylenol use in pregnancy.
Trump is also expected to mention leucovorin, a cancer and anaemia drug, as a potential therapy for people with autism.
IS IT TRUE?
To begin with, Kennedy also believes that environmental factors are causing a rise in autism. He also suspects that vaccines are involved, despite evidence that points otherwise. Public health experts, however, believe that the rise in autism is due to changing diagnostic criteria as well as more attention to the condition, as reported in Politico.
A senior official told the news site that Trump officials were divided about the autism issue. Even Kennedy, who believes there is a link between paracetamol and autism, has been reluctant to warn the public, it said. Even so, around a dozen working groups will examine 30 hypotheses about potential causes.
Moreover, a recent review of existing research published in the journal BMC Environmental Health, which was co-authored by the dean of Harvard’s TH Chan School of Public Health, Dr Andrea Baccarelli, did link acetaminophen (paracetamol) to autism, the report stated. It advised “judicious” use of acetaminophen in pregnant women, but did not ask them to not use it.
Kirk Perry, interim CEO of Kenvue that makes Tylenol had reportedly asked Kennedy to not cite Tylenol as a cause, which is one of the company’s top brands, the report added. A company spokesperson also told the news site that they strongly disagreed with the suggestion linking Tylenol to autism. The spokesperson said it could lead to a dangerous choice between enduring pain that could be harmful for them and the babies, and taking riskier painkillers.