A new scientific review has found no clear evidence linking the use of paracetamol during pregnancy to autism or ADHD in children, contrary to repeated claims by US President Donald Trump.
The study, described as the most comprehensive review on the topic to date, was published on Monday in the British Medical Journal (BMJ). It analysed all available scientific research on the alleged connection between paracetamol — also known as acetaminophen — and neurodevelopmental disorders.
Trump had previously caused outrage in September when he claimed that taking paracetamol during pregnancy increased the risk of autism in children. He even advised pregnant women to “tough it out” rather than take the painkiller, a comment widely criticised by medical experts for spreading misinformation and potentially deterring women from using safe pain relief.
Health organisations, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), have since reiterated that there is no reliable evidence showing that paracetamol — the key ingredient in common painkillers like Panadol and Tylenol — causes autism.
According to the UK-led review, “existing evidence does not show a clear link between in utero exposure to paracetamol and autism or ADHD in offspring.”
The researchers explained that while earlier studies had hinted at a possible link, most of those studies were of “low to critically low quality” because they failed to control for major factors such as family history of autism. Furthermore, none provided any proven biological explanation for how paracetamol might cause autism.
The review stressed the need for more rigorous research, noting that “there has been a historical and ongoing underinvestment in women’s health research.”
Experts have welcomed the findings, saying they align with what medical professionals have long maintained. Professor Dimitrios Siassakos, an obstetrics and gynaecology expert at University College London, said the review “confirms what experts around the globe have been saying.”
Steven Kapp, an autism researcher at the University of Portsmouth, added, “Autistic and neurodivergent people are more likely to experience chronic pain, and they are also more likely to have neurodivergent children — but paracetamol doesn’t cause neurodivergence.”
Kapp, who is autistic and has ADHD, further argued that instead of trying to “prevent neurodivergence,” society should focus on improving the lives of neurodivergent people.
Beyond paracetamol, Trump and his Health Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have made numerous unproven claims about autism, including describing it as an “epidemic.” Experts, however, insist that the rise in autism diagnoses is mainly due to better diagnostic methods and increased public awareness rather than an actual surge in cases.
