The Trump administration declared on Monday that the use of Tylenol during pregnancy may be related to a higher risk of autism.
At a press conference at the White House, President Donald Trump said that the Food and Medicines Administration will begin to notify doctors to immediately “strongly recommend that women limit the use of Tylenol during pregnancy unless it is medically necessary.”
“They strongly recommend that women limit the use of Tylenol during pregnancy unless it is medically necessary,” Trump said. “That is, for example, in cases of extremely high fever.”
Studies on this question have not demonstrated a direct cause and effect. Some studies point to a possible link, but the main medical groups have evaluated evidence and continue to recommend acetaminophen as the safest analgesic during pregnancy.
President Donald Trump, together with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the administrator of Medicare and Medicaid, Mehmet Oz, talks about autism in the White House in Washington, on September 22, 2025.
Saul Loeb/AFP through Getty Images
Trump and his health officials said the FDA would update the acetaminopheno label, commonly known as Tylenol, to “reflect potential benefits to reduce some symptoms of autism.”
In a statement, Dr. Steven Fleischman, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
“The suggestions that the use of acetaminophen in pregnancy causes autism are not only very worrying for doctors, but are also irresponsible when they consider the harmful and confusing message they send to pregnant patients, including those who may need to trust this beneficial medicine during pregnancy,” Fleischman said.
“Today’s announcement for HHS is not backed by the full body of scientific evidence and dangerously simplifies the many and complex causes of neurological challenges in children. It is very disturbing that our federal health agencies are willing to make an announcement that affects the health and well -being of millions of people without the support of reliable data,” the statement continued.
In a Kenvue statement, the Tylenol manufacturer, on Sunday, the company said that research shows that acetaminophen does not cause autism.
“Otherwise, we disagree with any suggestion and we are deeply concerned about the health risk that this poses to wait for mothers,” reads the statement. “Acetaminophen is the safest analgesic option for pregnant women as necessary throughout their pregnancy. Without it, women face dangerous options: suffer conditions such as fever that are potentially harmful to both the mother and the baby or use more risky alternatives.
During Monday’s press conference, Trump and Health Secretary and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., also suggested that the children’s vaccine calendar could contribute to autism, contradicting years of research that has not found any link between the two.
This is a development story. Consult the updates again.
