NEW DELHI: Former World Health Organization (WHO) Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan on Tuesday said there is no scientific basis to United States President Donald Trump’s statement that the common painkiller Tylenol, known as paracetamol in India, is linked to autism.
Speaking with this paper, the Indian paediatrician said Trump’s remarks had created panic. She stressed that paracetamol is “still the safest drug for pregnant women.”
“There is no new evidence that links paracetamol use to autism,” she said. “I don’t know what prompted him (Trump) to make such remarks. It seems premature and rushed. The sudden announcement has created a lot of panic.”
Swaminathan said that while some past studies had shown some link, the association was “weak” and there has been “no new research”.
Trump, speaking at a press conference at the White House on Monday, told pregnant women to avoid Tylenol. “Don’t take Tylenol. Fight like hell not to take it. There may be a point where you have to, and that you’ll have to work out with yourself,” he said, flanked by public health officials. “I’ll say it. It’s not good. For this reason, they are strongly recommending that women limit Tylenol use during pregnancy unless medically necessary.”
Soon after, the US drug regulator said it would add a label to paracetamol warning of an increased risk of autism and ADHD in children.
The claim was rejected by the WHO, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and UK health agencies. At a press conference on Tuesday, WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic said, “The evidence remains inconsistent.” He added, “We know that vaccines do not cause autism. Vaccines, as I said, save countless lives. So, this is something that science has proven, and these things should not be really questioned.”
The EMA also stated there was no new evidence requiring any change to its current recommendations on paracetamol use in pregnancy.
Indian doctors expressed similar views. Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, Co-Chairman of the National IMA Covid Task Force and past president of the Indian Medical Association, Cochin, said, “The claim is not based on good scientific evidence.”
He pointed to a Swedish study involving 2.4 million children that found no increased risk of autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders in children whose mothers had taken paracetamol during pregnancy. “On the contrary, if pregnant women refuse to take paracetamol during a fever, that has some risk for the baby as well as the mother,” he said.
Jayadevan added that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has also stated there is no risk of autism following paracetamol use in pregnancy.
Tylenol is the brand name for acetaminophen, a widely used over-the-counter medication for pain and fever relief. It is commonly prescribed for headaches, backaches, arthritis pain, toothache, muscle aches, and menstrual cramps.
Autism – also referred to as autism spectrum disorder constitutes a diverse group of conditions related to development of the brain. In 2021 about 1 in 127 persons had autism, according to the WHO.
Characteristics may be detected in early childhood, but autism is often not diagnosed until much later.
The abilities and needs of autistic people vary and can evolve over time. While some people with autism can live independently, others have severe disabilities and require life-long care and support.
Evidence-based psychosocial interventions can improve communication and social skills, with a positive impact on the well-being and quality of life of both autistic people and their caregivers.
1 in 127 people had autism in 2021, says WHO
Autism — also referred to as autism spectrum disorder constitutes a diverse group of conditions related to development of the brain. In 2021 about 1 in 127 people had autism, according to the WHO. Characteristics may be detected in early childhood, but autism is often not diagnosed until much later.