LONDON: The World Health Organisation and European Union confirmed the safety of paracetamol during pregnancy, disputing a warning from US President Donald Trump linking the popular pain medication to autism.
The WHO said evidence of a link remained inconsistent and urged caution in drawing conclusions.
Trump had linked autism to childhood vaccine use and the taking of Tylenol by women when pregnant.
The European Medicines Agency said on Tuesday that there was no new evidence that would require changes to the region’s current recommendations for the use of paracetamol, known as Tylenol in the United States, during pregnancy.
“Available evidence has found no link between the use of paracetamol during pregnancy and autism,” the EMA said, adding paracetamol could be used during pregnancy when needed, though at the lowest effective dose and frequency. Earlier, Britain’s health regulator said it was safe to use.
“The evidence remains inconsistent,” WHO spokesperson Tarik Jaarevi told a Geneva press briefing when asked about a possible link between paracetamol use in pregnancy and autism. He cited unspecified studies that pointed to a possible link, but said this was not confirmed by subsequent research. “This lack of replicability really calls for caution in drawing casual conclusions,” he said.
Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2025