After Trump and RFK's attacks on Tylenol, a group of UK researchers sought out the truth

A NEW REVIEW published by UK medical journal The Lancet has re-confirmed that taking paracetamol during pregnancy does not cause autism or ADHD in children.

The authors took on the study after anecdotal evidence emerged that people were becoming cautious of taking the painkiller while pregnant after incorrect announcements were made by the Trump administration in the US in September 2025.

The politicisation of scientific uncertainty also creates confusion among clinicians, the report’s authors say.

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to rigorously assess the available literature to clarify the association between prenatal paracetamol exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes.”

US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has promoted the myth that paracetamol is linked to autism and other developmental issues, despite multiple US medical studies showing it is not.

Kennedy, nephew of former president John F. Kennedy, is one of the most famous anti-vaccine influencers in the US. 

Ireland has not been unaffected by such conspiracies. Recent studies show childhood vaccination rates in Ireland remain below pre-Covid levels. The HSE says Ireland now has the third-lowest childhood vaccine coverage among high-income nations globally.

There are concerns that new conspiracies about medicines repeated by the US government could have an impact here.

After Kennedy was appointed to cabinet in February last year, the US’s policy on paracetamol brand “Tylenol” changed. By September, US President Donald Trump was publicly encouraging pregnant women to “fight like hell” against taking the drug. He added that the paracetamol was “no good” and that there is “no harm” in not taking it.

In the aftermath, the European Medical Agency released a statement noting in the EU, “paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen) can be used for reducing pain or fever during pregnancy if clinically needed”.

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“There is currently no new evidence that would require changes to the current EU recommendations for use.”

Today’s just-published UK study, Prenatal paracetamol exposure and child neurodevelopment: a systematic review and meta-analysis, outlined how the public debate on whether Tylenol use in pregnancy could be linked to autism and ADHD “gained traction in September 2025, when the US government suggested that prenatal exposure to paracetamol might contribute to neurodevelopmental outcomes”.

To provide as much evidence as possible, the systemic review included 43 studies and the meta-analysis involved 17 different studies. 

There have been dozens of studies completed in multiple countries on the impact of taking paracetamol while pregnant. This study attempted a large and detailed review of some of these which were published in English and had undertaken a five-year follow-up.

The result of the review vindicates current UK and Irish medical advice for pregnant women.

Dr Cliona Murphy, clinical director of the HSE National Women’s and Infants Programme (NWIHP), told The Journal: “Paracetamol is safe for pregnant women to take at recommended doses, and there is no new evidence that would require any changes to current advice.

“No connection between paracetamol and increased risk of autism, ADHD or intellectual disabilities has ever been established. Paracetamol remains an important treatment option for the management of pain and fever in pregnancy.”  

The research reviewed investigated any possible associations between prenatal paracetamol exposure and autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and intellectual disability.

“Current evidence does not indicate a clinically important increase in the likelihood of autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, or intellectual disability in children of pregnant individuals who use paracetamol as directed, supporting existing recommendations on its safety,” the review’s authors found.

Through investigating large-scale, sibling-controlled studies from Sweden and Japan published in 2024 and 2025 – including a Swedish cohort of 2·48 million births -  researchers found no association between prenatal paracetamol use and these disorders when accounting for familial genetics and influence.

“The authors say the findings from the sibling comparisons and their pooled results from multiple studies suggest that previously reported associations between paracetamol during pregnancy and autism, ADHD or intellectual disabilities may be due to other maternal factors, such as underlying pain, discomfort, fever, or genetic predisposition, rather than any direct effect from the paracetamol.”

The findings support the safety of paracetamol when used appropriately during pregnancy.

“Avoiding paracetamol based on inconclusive or biased evidence might increase the risk of maternal fever or untreated pain, both of which can harm pregnancy outcomes,” the review states.

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