Trump says Tylenol causes autism. Experts say there is no association

Some expectant mothers are uncertain whether they can take Tylenol during pregnancy, after a White House news conference linked the drug to autism. 

Doctors and scientists offer advice at odds with that message.

Hiba Mustafa, the director of fetal medicine and surgery at Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis, said patients had already expressed fear about using Tylenol.

"It was very sad, disheartening to me. As a physician, I do my job. I talk about the data, I talk about evidence, and I reassure them a lot," Mustafa said. "We are the ones who are giving them the green light to take certain medications."

Mustafa said she worries that moms will ultimately end up blaming themselves for any complications with a baby, simply because they took Tylenol. 

Other experts were also at odds with the message coming from the White House. 

David Mandell is the associate director of the Center for Autism Research at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

"There is no association," Mandell said. "Tylenol does not cause autism."

Acetaminophen, often known by the brand name Tylenol, has long been the go-to pain reliever for Americans.

In fact, Mandell said Tylenol is the only over-the-counter medication for pain relief and inflammation that is safe during pregnancy.

"That's really important for the comfort of the mother, but it's also really important for the health of the fetus," he said.

Mandell said what actuallyputs infants at risk of neurodevelopmental delays are inflammation and fever late in pregnancy. He said Tylenol is an important tool for treating those symptoms.

"Fever increases your risk for having a child with neurodevelopmental delay, and that's another reason that you take Tylenol," Mandell said. "So studies that have rigorously adjusted for those things find that acetaminophen does not cause autism."

According to Mandell, some studies have shown a connection between Tylenol and autism, but only because mothers with symptoms like inflammation and fever are more likely to take acetaminophen to help with those problems.

Studies that have tried to tease out whether Tylenol is causing autism — by comparing use and non-use of Tylenol during pregnancy on siblings — have found no causation.

Mandell recommends parents seek medical advice from their doctor, not the federal government.

"I think when it comes to providing medical advice, the federal government has kind of gone off the rails," he said. "At one of his hearings, Secretary Kennedy said, Hey, you shouldn't take medical advice from me. And I really agree."

A number of health organizations put out statements after the White House conference opposing what was said about Tylenol. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in its statement said the White House announcement was "not backed by the full body of scientific evidence and dangerously simplifies the many and complex causes of neurologic challenges in children."

Contact Health Reporter Benjamin Thorp at bthorp@wfyi.org