The World Health Organization (WHO) has firmly dismissed recent claims by U.S. President Donald Trump and senior officials, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., that acetaminophen use during pregnancy increases the risk of autism.
In a statement issued Wednesday, WHO underscored that “extensive research, including large-scale studies over the past decade, has found no consistent association” between acetaminophen (Tylenol) use in pregnancy and autism. The agency urged expectant mothers to follow the advice of their doctors rather than public speculation.
Trump had reignited controversy earlier in the week by warning pregnant women against using Tylenol and announcing plans for a new study exploring links between childhood vaccines and autism. WHO countered these assertions, stressing that flawed studies had previously exaggerated risks and that such claims are unsupported by credible evidence.
The organization also reaffirmed its position on vaccines, citing decades of high-quality global research that shows no causal link between vaccines and autism. It noted that immunization programs over the last 50 years have saved an estimated 154 million lives, calling vaccine schedules “essential for the health and well-being of every child and community.”
Medical experts have echoed WHO’s concerns. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) criticized the Trump administration’s comments as “highly concerning and irresponsible,” warning that they risk confusing and alarming pregnant women unnecessarily.
Autism currently affects an estimated 62 million people worldwide—about one in 127 individuals. Its origins remain under study, with researchers pointing to a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
The controversy comes just ahead of the UN high-level meeting on mental health and non-communicable diseases, where autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders are expected to feature prominently.
