Streeting: Pay no attention to Trump’s claims on paracetamol link to autism

Expectant mothers should ignore Donald Trump’s claims about paracetamol use being linked to autism, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said.

The US president said there had been a “meteoric rise” in cases of autism and suggested that Tylenol – which is called paracetamol in the UK – is a potential cause.

He said the painkillers should not be taken during pregnancy, suggesting pregnant women should “tough it out” and also raised unfounded concerns about vaccines.

The president’s comments were criticised by autism campaigners and scientists in the UK.

And Mr Streeting said: “I trust doctors over President Trump, frankly, on this”, as he urged pregnant women not to pay “any attention whatsoever” to the US president.

Mr Streeting told ITV’s Lorraine: “I’ve just got to be really clear about this: there is no evidence to link the use of paracetamol by pregnant women to autism in their children. None.

“In fact, a major study was done back in 2024 in Sweden, involving 2.4 million children, and it did not uphold those claims.

“So I would just say to people watching, don’t pay any attention whatsoever to what Donald Trump says about medicine. In fact, don’t take even take my word for it, as a politician – listen to British doctors, British scientists, the NHS.”

The US president’s comments about vaccines were a particular concern at a time when “you’ve got kids in this country now dying of measles, whooping cough, kids not taking the RSV vaccine when those respiratory diseases can be life-threatening in our children”.

In his White House announcement, Mr Trump said: “There are certain groups of people that don’t take vaccines and don’t take any pills, that have no autism.”

Turning to US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr he asked: “Is that a correct statement?”

Mr Trump said the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would be notifying all US doctors with new guidance about paracetamol.

“Ideally, you don’t take it at all, but if you have to, if you can’t tough it out, if there’s a problem, you’re going to end up doing it.”

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued a statement on Tuesday, confirming that there is “no evidence that taking paracetamol during pregnancy causes autism in children”.

Dr Alison Cave, chief safety officer at the MHRA, said: “Paracetamol remains the recommended pain relief option for pregnant women when used as directed.

“Pregnant women should continue to follow existing NHS guidance and speak to their healthcare professional if they have questions about any medication during pregnancy.

“Untreated pain and fever can pose risks to the unborn baby, so it is important to manage these symptoms with the recommended treatment.

“Our advice on medicines in pregnancy is based on rigorous assessment of the best available scientific evidence. 

“Any new evidence that could affect our recommendations would be carefully evaluated by our independent scientific experts.

“We continuously monitor the safety of all medicines, including those used during pregnancy, through robust monitoring and surveillance. We encourage anyone to report any suspected side effects to us via the Yellow Card scheme.”

Mel Merritt, head of policy and campaigns at the National Autistic Society, said: “The incessant misinformation about autism from President Trump and Robert F Kennedy Jr risks undermining decades of research by respected experts in the field.

“Understandably, autistic people will be dismayed and frightened by this announcement, and we would urge our government and the NHS to stand by autistic people and to condemn this misinformation. To do otherwise risks creating further fear, stigmatisation and harm.

“We urge anyone looking for information about autism to visit websites from trusted organisations such as the NHS and the National Autistic Society.”

Experts say the rise in cases in the US is mainly because of a new definition for the disorder that now includes mild cases on a spectrum and better diagnoses.

In the UK, the NHS website says “paracetamol is the first choice of painkiller if you’re pregnant. It’s commonly taken during pregnancy and does not harm your baby”.

Dr Monique Botha, associate professor in social and developmental psychology at Durham University, said: “There are many studies which refute a link, but the most important was a Swedish study of 2.4 million births published in 2024 which used actual sibling data and found no relationship between exposure to paracetamol in utero and subsequent autism, ADHD or intellectual disability.

“This suggests no causal effect of paracetamol in autism.”

Dr Botha added: “Similarly, pain relief for pregnant women is woefully lacking and paracetamol is a much safer pain relief option during pregnancy than basically any other alternative and we need to take pain seriously for women, including whilst pregnant.

“The fearmongering will prevent women from accessing the appropriate care during pregnancy.

“Further, it risks stigmatising families who have autistic children as having brought it on themselves and reinvigorates the long pattern of maternal shame and blame as we’ve seen re-emerge repeatedly over the last 70 years where we try to pay the fault of autism at the mother’s door one way or another.”

Professor Claire Anderson, president of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, said: “Paracetamol has been used safely by millions of people for decades, including during pregnancy, when taken as directed.

“It is the first-line choice for pain management and fever control in a variety of patients, including pregnant women, children and the elderly.

“A large study conducted in 2024 found no evidence of a link between paracetamol use in pregnancy and an increased risk of autism in children.”

In August this year, a study from Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health and Mount Sinai hospital reported that exposure to acetaminophen, which is also known as Tylenol or paracetamol, during pregnancy may mean children were more likely to develop neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and ADHD.

They concluded that, while steps should be taken to limit acetaminophen use, the drug was important for treating fever and pain in mothers, which could also harm babies.