Health Secretary Wes Streeting has urged the British public to ignore Donald Trump’s claims linking paracetamol use during pregnancy to autism, warning expectant mothers not to pay “any attention whatsoever” to the US President’s medical advice.
The extraordinary transatlantic health row erupted after Trump told a White House press conference on Monday that pregnant women should “tough it out” and avoid taking the common painkiller, claiming without scientific evidence that it causes a “meteoric rise” in autism cases. Standing alongside controversial Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, Trump repeatedly declared: “Don’t take Tylenol. Fight like hell not to take it.”
Speaking on ITV’s Lorraine this morning, Streeting delivered a sharp rebuke to the American leader: “I trust doctors over President Trump, frankly, on this.” The Health Secretary’s intervention marks a rare instance of a British minister openly criticising the US president on medical matters.
No Evidence for Trump’s Claims
Streeting was unequivocal in his rejection of Trump’s assertions, citing robust scientific research that contradicts the president’s position. “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,” he told presenter Lorraine Kelly.
The Health Secretary pointed to a major Swedish study from 2024 involving 2.4 million children that found no causal link between acetaminophen exposure during pregnancy and autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability. The research, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), compared siblings and eliminated other potential risk factors.
Don’t even take my word for it, as a politician – listen to British doctors, British scientists, the NHS,” Streeting urged viewers, emphasising that medical decisions should be based on scientific evidence rather than political rhetoric.
Scientific Community Condemns Misinformation
Trump’s announcement has triggered widespread condemnation from autism campaigners and scientists across Britain. The National Autistic Society warned that the “incessant misinformation” from Trump and Kennedy risks undermining decades of research by respected experts.
Mel Merritt, head of policy and campaigns at the National Autistic Society, said: “Understandably, autistic people will be dismayed and frightened by this announcement. 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.”
Dr Monique Botha, associate professor in social and developmental psychology at Durham University, emphasised that the Swedish study used sibling data to definitively rule out any relationship between paracetamol exposure and subsequent autism. “This suggests no causal effect of paracetamol in autism,” she stated.
MHRA Confirms Paracetamol Safety
The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) moved swiftly to reassure pregnant women, issuing a statement on Tuesday confirming 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.
The NHS website clearly states that “paracetamol is the first choice of painkiller if you’re pregnant” and that it “does not harm your baby” when commonly taken during pregnancy.
Trump’s White House Spectacle
During Monday’s press conference at the White House, Trump made a series of unsubstantiated claims about autism causes whilst flanked by his health team including Kennedy, FDA Commissioner Dr Marty Makary, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr Mehmet Oz.
The president announced that the US Food and Drug Administration would issue new guidance warning doctors about an alleged link between acetaminophen (known as paracetamol in the UK and sold as Tylenol in America) and autism risk. “There’s no downside,” Trump claimed about avoiding the painkiller, suggesting women should simply endure fever and pain during pregnancy.
Medical experts immediately countered that untreated fever during pregnancy can pose serious risks including miscarriage, birth defects, and high blood pressure. The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine stressed that fever can be particularly dangerous early in pregnancy.
Vaccine Fears Resurface
Streeting expressed particular concern about Trump’s additional comments questioning childhood vaccines, noting that British children are now dying from preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough.
These are things I thought we’d consigned to the history books,” the Health Secretary said. “Science can consign it to the history books if we trust medical science.”
Trump had suggested during his announcement that childhood vaccines should be administered separately rather than in combined doses, claiming without evidence that “too much liquid” was going into babies. He also recommended delaying hepatitis B vaccinations from birth to age 12, contradicting established medical guidance.
Industry Pushback
Kenvue Inc, the manufacturer of Tylenol, strongly rejected Trump’s claims in a statement: “We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism. We strongly disagree with any suggestion otherwise and are deeply concerned with the health risk this poses for expecting mothers.”
The company warned that without paracetamol as an option, pregnant women face “dangerous choices: suffer through conditions like fever that are potentially harmful to both mum and baby or use riskier alternatives.”
Swedish Study Provides Definitive Evidence
The Swedish research that Streeting referenced represents the largest epidemiological study to date on this topic. Researchers from Karolinska Institute and Drexel University analysed data from nearly 2.5 million Swedish children born between 1995 and 2019.
While initial analysis showed a tiny statistical association (0.09 percentage points) between acetaminophen use and autism risk, this completely disappeared when researchers compared siblings born to the same mother. Brian Lee, a Drexel University epidemiology professor who co-authored the study, explained: “The sibling analysis showed that other factors caused the initial statistical association.”
The research was funded by the US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, lending additional credibility to its findings.
Kennedy’s Autism Obsession
Trump’s announcement fulfils a promise by Kennedy to identify autism’s causes by September. The controversial health secretary, who has long promoted debunked theories linking vaccines to autism, had pledged in April to “get to the bottom” of what causes the neurodevelopmental condition.
During Monday’s event, the administration also announced FDA approval of leucovorin, a form of folate, as an autism treatment, despite limited evidence for its effectiveness. The National Institutes of Health simultaneously announced $50 million in funding for 13 research projects investigating autism causes.
Expert Warning on Pain Management
Medical professionals emphasised the importance of appropriate pain management during pregnancy. Dr Sura Alwan, a clinical teratologist at the University of British Columbia, stressed that “Tylenol should only be used for fever and significant pain at the lower dose and shortest time. That’s always been the advice and guidance from best medical practice.”
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists president Steven J Fleischman called Trump’s suggestions “irresponsible,” noting that about half of pregnant women worldwide use paracetamol for pain relief and fever reduction.
Political Fallout
Trump’s medical pronouncements have created diplomatic tension, with Streeting’s forthright criticism marking an unusual departure from typical British government restraint regarding US domestic policies.
The Health Secretary’s comments underscore growing concern about medical misinformation spreading from America’s highest office. His appeal to “follow the science” reflects broader worries about the erosion of evidence-based medicine in political discourse.
As British health authorities work to counter Trump’s claims, the incident highlights the challenges of combating health misinformation in an interconnected world where presidential statements can instantly reach millions across the globe.
The message from UK health officials remains clear: pregnant women should continue following NHS guidance, consult their healthcare providers, and trust established medical science over political rhetoric – regardless of its source.
Follow for more updates on Britannia Daily
Image Credit:
Wes Streeting, Official Cabinet Portrait (5 July 2024) — photo by Lauren Hurley / No 10 Downing Street, Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
