WHO clarified on Tuesday that evidence linking paracetamol use in pregnancy to autism remains inconsistent, responding to US President Donald Trump’s remarks connecting Tylenol and vaccines to autism.
During a press briefing in Geneva, WHO spokesperson Tarik Jašarević said, “The evidence remains inconsistent.” He reiterated that vaccines are safe and life-saving: “We know that vaccines do not cause autism. Vaccines, as I said, save countless lives. So this is something that science has proven, and these things should not be really questioned.”
The response came after President Trump claimed on Monday that acetaminophen (commonly known as Tylenol in the US, and paracetamol elsewhere) use during pregnancy may be linked to rising autism rates. He also repeated unproven concerns about vaccines.
EMA Reaffirms Safety of Paracetamol Use
Earlier the same day, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) stated that there was no new evidence requiring changes to existing recommendations for paracetamol use during pregnancy.
Despite Trump’s assertion, no fresh data has been presented to support his claims. During the same briefing, Trump said, “I’ll say it. It’s not good. For this reason, they are strongly recommending that women limit Tylenol use during pregnancy unless medically necessary.”
He further added regarding childhood vaccines, “I would say, wait until the baby is 12 years old and formed.”
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who joined Trump at the event, announced that he would initiate an “all-agency” effort to identify possible causes of autism under the President’s direction.
