Paracetamol does not cause autism, says expert

Santo Domingo.- The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed that no scientific evidence links paracetamol use during pregnancy to autism in children, countering recent claims by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who suggested limiting Tylenol in pregnant women and newborns.

Public health specialist Dr. Rafael Montero criticized Trump’s remarks during an interview on Esto No Tiene Nombre, describing them as unfounded and lacking scientific basis. He explained that paracetamol, whose active ingredient is acetaminophen, has been widely used for decades without evidence connecting it to autism spectrum disorder. The rise in autism diagnoses, he noted, is due to improved detection and awareness, not medication use.

Montero added that Trump had misinterpreted a Johns Hopkins meta-analysis and improperly presented it as proof. He also questioned Trump’s decision to cite the Tylenol brand rather than the active compound, calling it inappropriate. He emphasized that patients should rely on guidance from their healthcare providers, a position also supported by the Dominican Society of Gynecologists, which reiterated that acetaminophen remains safe when prescribed.