• The Trump Administration made unsupported claims this week that acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, causes autism.
  • An assistant professor of pediatrics in the division of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine clearly disputes these claims, saying, "The research does not support claims that Tylenol causes autism."
  • The FDA is moving forward with a process to start adding a warning label on Tylenol and other acetaminophen medicines.

This week, the Trump Administration released a statement claiming that taking acetaminophen—the active ingredient in painkillers and fever reducers like Tylenol—is a direct cause for autism, specifically when a pregnant woman takes it. In a statement, the Administration said: "Evidence suggests acetaminophen use in pregnant women, especially late in pregnancy, may cause long-term neurological effects in their children." The statement also said the Administration is planning to "unveil bold new initiatives to tackle the autism epidemic."

"Autism's complexity requires careful, evidence-based approaches rather than quick fixes that may not help and could potentially cause harm," explains Dr. Rachel Follmer, assistant professor of pediatrics in the division of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "Flawed studies and premature claims can promote false hope in families while also inducing unnecessary parental guilt and fear about decisions made during pregnancy or early childhood."

Tylenol is the only FDA-approved over-the-counter medicine to reduce a fever in a pregnant person—medicines like aspirin and ibuprofen have very clear negative impacts on a fetus, as documented in numerous studies. The FDA began a process to start changing the labels to include a warning about the alleged connection, but the organization also acknowledged that "a causal relationship has not been established and there are contrary studies in the scientific literature."

If you're worried about Tylenol right now or just generally confused by all of this, Dr. Follmer gives four facts below to hopefully help bring some clarity.

Science doesn't back this claim up.

    Dr. Follmer, who is also a physician at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago and sees autistic patients clinically, makes this very clear: "Despite what was said in the press conference, the research does not support claims that Tylenol causes autism. The largest and most well done studies that have controlled for genetic factors have not shown an association between acetaminophen and autism."

    The Trump Administration made claims “that nothing bad can happen, only good.” This isn’t a true statement.

    Studies have proven that there are negative outcomes for a fetus if a fever goes untreated in a pregnant person, like birth defects of the brain, spine, or spinal cord and an increased risk for premature births and low birth weights, explains Dr. Follmer. Some studies have even shown higher rates of autism and ADHD for untreated fevers, she added. "In many studies," she says, "these risks decreased when fevers were treated." And again, those fevers are typically treated with Tylenol.

    Yes, autism diagnoses are up—but not because of Tylenol.

    Researchers have been trying to uncover risk factors and causes for autism for literal decades, with the CDC being a leader on the data for more than 20 years, explains Dr. Follmer. While science hasn't said hard-and-fast that Tylenol is one of those factors or causes, "rigorous research has suggested that changes in diagnostic criteria, increased awareness, routine screening and case identification, and increased availability of clinical services are the primary drivers of rising diagnosis rates," explains Dr. Follmer.

      Take concerns and questions to a trusted medical provider.

      Now isn't the time to be running to Dr. Google, especially with the plethora of misinformation swarming around—it can create fear and in general just be overwhelming to try to sort through and decipher what is and isn't true, says Dr. Follmer. "For anyone who is trying to conceive or is currently pregnant, I would recommend they speak with their provider on what is safe for them and their individual health history."