Independent, UK - Donald Trump is expected to link use of over-the-counter pain relievers to autism, raising concerns among major medical groups following health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s vow to find a “cause” for the disorder by September.
The president is reportedly set to announce alleged links between autism and the use of acetaminophen — the active ingredient in the widely popular Tylenol — during pregnancy.
Major medical groups have long found acetaminophen to be safe but have advised pregnant women to consult with their physicians before taking it, as with any drug during pregnancy.
Administration officials are also expected to tout leucovorin — a form of the vitamin B9, also known as folate — as a potential treatment.
Monday’s announcement follows a review of research led by Harvard University's Chan School of Public Health that found that children may be more likely to develop autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders when exposed to Tylenol during pregnancy. But other studies have found no such link.
Autism diagnoses have risen over the last two decades, largely due to an increased awareness and an expanding definition of the condition. Kennedy, a conspiracy theorist and vaccine skeptic, has pushed a discredited theory that routine vaccinations are responsible for the rise in the diagnosis.
Following news earlier this month that the Trump administration was preparing to announce a causal link between Tylenol and autism, major medical groups reinforced studies that have found use of acetaminophen during pregnancy remains a safe way to treat pain and fever.
Several studies have determined acetaminophen is a safe way to treat pain and fever when used in moderation.
“Pregnant patients should not be frightened away from the many benefits of acetaminophen, which is safe and one of the few options pregnant people have for pain relief,” according to Dr. Christopher Zahn, chief of clinical practice with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Obstetrician and gynecologist Dr. Salena Zanotti told Cleveland Clinic earlier this year that acetaminophen is considered the safest drug to take during pregnancy for fever and pain.
“When you’re pregnant, it’s riskier to have an untreated fever than it is to take acetaminophen,” Zanotti said
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