A view exhibits The World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, Jan. 28, 2025.
Denis Balibouse | Reuters
European Union and British well being businesses confirmed the security of paracetamol throughout pregnancy, disputing a warning from U.S. President Donald Trump linking the favored ache treatment to autism.
The World Health Organization mentioned on Tuesday that proof of a hyperlink remained inconsistent and urged warning in drawing conclusions.
Trump had on Monday linked autism to childhood vaccine use and the taking of Tylenol by ladies when pregnant, elevating claims not backed by scientific proof to the forefront of U.S. well being coverage.
The European Medicines Agency mentioned on Tuesday that there was no new proof that will require modifications to the area’s present suggestions for using paracetamol, referred to as Tylenol within the United States, throughout pregnancy.
“Available evidence has found no link between the use of paracetamol during pregnancy and autism,” the EMA mentioned in an announcement, including paracetamol might be used throughout pregnancy when wanted, although on the lowest efficient dose and frequency. On Monday, Britain’s well being regulator mentioned that it was protected to make use of.
“The evidence remains inconsistent,” WHO spokesperson Tarik Jašarević advised a Geneva press briefing when requested a couple of attainable hyperlink between paracetamol use in pregnancy and autism.
He cited unspecified research that pointed to a attainable hyperlink however mentioned that this was not confirmed by subsequent analysis. “This lack of replicability really calls for caution in drawing casual conclusions,” he mentioned.
In a extremely uncommon press convention on the White House on Monday, Trump delivered medical recommendation to pregnant ladies and mother and father of younger youngsters, repeatedly telling them to not use or administer the painkiller and suggesting that frequent vaccines not be taken collectively or so early in a baby’s life.
The recommendation from Trump goes in opposition to that of medical societies, which have cited information from quite a few research displaying that acetaminophen, the lively ingredient in Tylenol, performs a protected position within the well-being of pregnant ladies.
Asked to elaborate additional on Trump’s remarks, Jašarević added that vaccines didn’t trigger autism and affirmed their life-saving qualities. “This is something that science has proven, and these things should not be really questioned,” he added.