(CNN) — President Donald Trump announced Monday that the US Food and Drug Administration will be notifying physicians that the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy “can be associated with a very increased risk of autism.”
“They are strongly recommending that women limit Tylenol use during pregnancy unless medically necessary,” he said.
Trump said women should not use it during pregnancy “unless medically necessary” such as fever.
However, experts say autism is caused by multiple factors, and the science concerning the connection between Tylenol use during pregnancy and autism is not settled.
Tylenol has been considered the only safe over-the-counter option for pain or fever for pregnant people. Other common pain relief options like ibuprofen or regular-dose aspirin can increase the risk of serious complications during pregnancy. Not treating a fever can also be dangerous for both the fetus and the pregnant person.
Trump made the announcement from the Oval Office alongside US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. US Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, US National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya and US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz.
Trump thanked Kennedy, “the man who brought this issue to the forefront of American politics, along with me.”
“We understood a lot more than a lot of people who studied it,” Trump said.
Tylenol maker Kenvue said earlier this month that it had engaged in a “scientific exchange” on the issue with HHS officials, and urged pregnant women to speak with their health care provider before taking any over-the-counter medication.
“Acetaminophen is the safest pain reliever option for pregnant women as needed throughout their entire pregnancy,” the company said in a statement Sunday. “Without it, women face dangerous choices: suffer through conditions like fever that are potentially harmful to both mom and baby or use riskier alternatives.”
“The facts are that over a decade of rigorous research, endorsed by leading medical professionals and global health regulators, confirms there is no credible evidence linking acetaminophen to autism. We stand with the many public health and medical professionals who have reviewed this science and agree.”