US President Donald Trump

Donald Trump has claimed that taking paracetamol – or acetaminophen, as it’s known across the pond – in pregnancy is linked to rising autism rates. And scientists and researchers can’t believe what they’re hearing.

The US president initially teased the information at Charlie Kirk’s memorial over the weekend, saying: “I think we found an answer to autism.”

Since then, the president made an announcement at the White House in which he reportedly revealed: “Taking Tylenol [whose active ingredient is acetaminophen] is not good. I’ll say it. It’s not good.

“For this reason [the FDA] are strongly recommending that women limit Tylenol use during pregnancy unless medically necessary.”

Pregnant women in the US have been advised to only use the pain relief for high fevers. Trump also said doctors will be given new guidance advising mothers-to-be not to use paracetamol during their pregnancy.

Tylenol maker Kenvue told the BBC the science shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism and added: “We strongly disagree with any suggestion otherwise and are deeply concerned with the health risk this poses for expecting mothers.”

A leading charity supporting autistic people in the UK condemned the announcement.

Mel Merritt, head of policy and campaigns at the National Autistic Society, told HuffPost UK: “This is dangerous, it’s anti-science and it’s irresponsible.

“President Donald Trump is peddling the worst myths of recent decades. Such dangerous pseudo-science is putting pregnant women and children at risk and devaluing autistic people.

“Let’s be clear – painkillers do not cause autism and vaccines do not cause autism. Large-scale studies have shown that there is no robust, scientific evidence to support this claim. It’s nothing more than fear-mongering.”

Merritt called on the UK government and NHS “to stand by autistic people and to condemn this misinformation”.

“To do otherwise risks creating further fear, stigmatisation and harm,” she said.

Where has all this come from?

Earlier this year,

© HuffPost