Scientists studying any link between the painkiller paracetamol and autism have reached no firm conclusions
“DON’T take Tylenol,” ordered US President Donald Trump at a press conference on Monday (Sep 22). His administration had just highlighted a link between the use of a common pain-relieving drug Tylenol (acetaminophen) – also known as paracetamol – and autism and ADHD. Trump is certain that the drug is dangerous for children and has few real benefits. On both counts, he is wrong.
Scientists have examined the link between acetaminophen and autism for years but reached no firm conclusions. It is common for scientists to find correlations between medical conditions and external factors such as diet and drugs. It is also common for studies to point in different directions.
For example, one large-scale study of almost 200,000 children published in 2024 and funded by America’s National Institutes for Health (NIH) found no link at all between autism and acetaminophen use in pregnancy. Others have.
