WH presser over autism, Tylenol prompts pushback from WHO

By CP StaffWednesday, September 24, 2025U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., joined by President Donald Trump, delivers an announcement on “significant medical and scientific findings for America’s children” in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Sept. 22, 2025, in Washington, D.C. | Andrew Harnik/Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump and top White House health officials faced criticism from the World Health Organization for a press conference earlier this week that floated potential ties between the skyrocketing rates of autism and pregnant women’s use of the common pain reliever acetaminophen, also known as Tylenol.The World Health Organization issued a statement Wednesday asserting “that there is currently no conclusive scientific evidence confirming a possible link between autism and use of acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol) during pregnancy.” During a press conference at the White House on Monday to announce their Autism Action Plan, President Donald Trump and health officials announced a potential association between Tylenol use during pregnancy and adverse neurological outcomes such as ADHD and autism. They also promoted leucovorin, a form of folinic acid used as an off-label cancer drug, as a potential treatment for autism.Flanked by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, Acting Assistant Health Secretary Dr. Dorothy Fink, and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, Trump advised against using Tylenol during pregnancy or giving it to babies.”I want to say it like it is, don’t take Tylenol. Don’t take it,” Trump said, who also expressed skepticism regarding the childhood vaccine schedule while advising vaccine spacing. “Other things that we recommend, or certainly I do anyway, is … don’t let them pump your baby up with the largest pile of stuff you’ve ever seen in your life.”WHO pushed back against Trump’s advice and claimed the White House’s statements about Tylenol and its warning against injecting babies with numerous vaccines at once lacked scientific evidence.”Extensive research has been undertaken over the past decade, including large-scale studies, looking into links between acetaminophen [also known as paracetamol] use during pregnancy and autism. At this time, no consistent association has been established,” the organization said.”WHO recommends that all women continue to follow advice of their doctors or health workers, who can help assess individual circumstances and recommend necessary medicines,” the statement added.WHO also pushed back against vaccine hesitancy, noting, “Since 1999, independent experts advising WHO have repeatedly confirmed that vaccines — including those with thiomersal or aluminum — do not cause autism or other developmental disorders.”The Monday press conference also prompted pushback from organizations such as the Autism Science Foundation, whose Chief Science Officer, Dr. Alycia Halladay, said, “Any association between acetaminophen and autism is based on limited, conflicting, and inconsistent science.”Kenvue, the maker of Tylenol, also pushed back against the idea that its product could cause autism.”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 and parents,” the company said in a statement.Repeated doses of acetaminophen, which is known as paracetamol in Europe, has been linked with complications including peptic ulcers, heart failure, hypertension and chronic kidney disease in patients over 65, according to researchers at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom.Researchers at the University of Edinburgh released a study in 2022 suggesting that those with high blood pressure who take paracetamol on prescription could be increasing their risk of heart attacks and strokes, according to the BBC.A day after the White House press conference, Oz offered nuance regarding the president’s Tylenol advice.”We know that people who take Tylenol for prolonged periods of time during pregnancy seem to have a higher incidence of autism in aggregate,” Oz said during an appearance on Fox News. “So the message is not, ‘Never take Tylenol.’ It’s, ‘Take Tylenol judiciously.’ Take it by talking with your doctor.””Make sure there’s an important reason to take it. Don’t take it willy-nilly because you think it’s so safe it couldn’t possibly cause a problem, because those assumptions appear to be erroneous,” he added.Amid backlash, the White House released a fact sheet Monday that cited researchers from Johns Hopkins and Mount Sinai on the issue.”The Trump Administration does not believe popping more pills is always the answer for better health,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.”President Trump pledged to address America’s skyrocketing rates of autism, and his team is deploying Gold Standard Science to deliver on this pledge. We will not be deterred in these efforts as we know millions across America are grateful.”The press conference also prompted some pregnant women to post videos of themselves on social media taking large amounts of Tylenol as a statement of defiance against Trump and his administration.On Wednesday, many X users took notice of a 2017 tweet from Tylenol’s official account advising pregnant women against taking their product. “We actually don’t recommend using any of our products while pregnant,” the company said at the time.We actually don’t recommend using any of our products while pregnant. Thank you for taking the time to voice your concerns today.— TYLENOL® (@tylenol) March 7, 2017