US President Donald Trump's latest announcement has left medical experts extremely concerned, as they have sounded the alarm over claims that pain relief medication Tylenol, otherwise known as paracetamol or acetaminophen, is linked to autism when ingested during pregnancy.
The Trump administration has been going all in on supposedly 'healthy' initiatives following the appointment of new Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as he has so far provided 'disturbing' solutions to measles outbreaks and axed promising research into potential cancer vaccines.
One of the biggest public health announcements was made during Charlie Kirk's memorial service on Sunday though, as President Trump outlined that the 'most important medical announcement' was an alleged link between paracetamol brand Tylenol and cases of autism.
What has Trump said about Tylenol?
As reported by Mint, Trump declared that "taking Tylenol is not good" and that you should "fight like hell to not take it," urging pregnant women in particular to "tough it out" instead of opting for the pain relief medication.
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Apparently only an "extremely high fever" would be enough to warrant administration of the drug, and anything else wouldn't be bad enough to justify according to the president.
"There's a rumor – and I don't know if it's so or not – that Cuba they don't have Tylenol because they don't have the model for Tylenol," Trump claimed on Monday at the White House, "and they have virtually no autism. The Amish, as an example. They have essentially no autism."
How have medical experts reacted to Trump's claims?
It's clear that the reaction of the medical world isn't just opposition to President Trump's wild claims of a link between Tylenol and autism, but an abhorrence at the 'irresponsible' suggestion.
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"Suggestions that acetaminophen use in pregnancy causes autism are not only highly concerning to clinicians but also irresponsible when considering the harmful and confusing message they send to pregnant patients, including those who may need to rely on this beneficial medicine during pregnancy," outlined Steven Fleischman, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).
This has been backed up and echoed by a number of other key medical organizations, including the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, who outlined in a statement to the Guardian:
"A thorough review of existing research suggesting a potential link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and an increased risk of autism and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children has not established a causal relationship."
Tylenol has even taken to Instagram to dispel claims made by Trump and key members of his administration, asserting that "credible, independent scientific data continues to show no proven link between taking acetaminophen and autism. Medical and public organizations agree."
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It asserts that you should still seek advice from your doctor before taking acetaminophen while pregnant or breast-feeding, but that any claims of links between the drug and autism are unfounded.