European Regulators Push Back on Trump’s Autism Warning
During a recent press conference, U.S. President Donald Trump urged pregnant women to stop taking acetaminophen, claiming the over‑the‑counter pain reliever raises the risk of autism in children. He also suggested that the measles‑mumps‑rubella (MMR) vaccine should be split into three separate shots, echoing long‑debunked vaccine‑autism myths. None of these statements were backed by new scientific data; they appeared to be personal opinions repeated on a public stage.
What the Scientific Evidence Actually Shows
Health experts across Europe and the United States have repeatedly emphasized that the evidence does not support a causal link between acetaminophen use in pregnancy and autism spectrum disorders. Sura Alwan, executive director of the PEAR‑Net Society, said, "The evidence does not support a causal link between acetaminophen or vaccines and autism." Likewise, psychologist Helen Tager‑Flusberg warned that discouraging a safe fever‑reducer could leave pregnant women without effective options for managing pain or fever.
In the United States, a federal judge recently dismissed expert testimony from Harvard’s Andrea Baccarelli, who had been paid roughly $150,000 to argue that prenatal acetaminophen exposure can cause neurodevelopmental disorders. Judge Denise Cote described the testimony as "unreliable," noting that Baccarelli selectively highlighted studies that fit his hypothesis while downplaying contradictory findings. Ironically, Baccarelli co‑authored a 2022 paper that cautioned against any change in clinical practice based on the existing data.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and national regulators such as the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) continue to list acetaminophen as a first‑line analgesic for pregnant women when used at recommended doses. Their guidance stresses that untreated fever or severe pain can pose greater risks to both mother and fetus than the low‑dose medication. In short, acetaminophen remains one of the safest pain‑relief options available during pregnancy, provided it is taken under medical supervision.
For expecting mothers, the practical takeaway is clear: talk to a healthcare provider before stopping any medication. Alternatives like ibuprofen are generally avoided in the third trimester, while prescription opioids carry their own set of risks. By following professional advice, pregnant women can balance symptom relief with the best possible outcomes for their babies.
The clash between political rhetoric and established medical science is not new, but the potential fallout is real. Unfounded claims can sow fear, leading some women to forgo necessary treatment and inadvertently exposing themselves and their unborn children to avoidable complications. As the debate continues, the scientific community remains steadfast: the current body of research does not justify alarm over acetaminophen use in pregnancy.
Vinod Pillai
September 25, 2025 AT 11:32Acetaminophen is a neurotoxin disguised as medicine. You think it's safe? Look at the glutamate dysregulation studies. The EMA is compromised by pharma money. Pregnant women are being experimented on and no one cares. This isn't science - it's corporate negligence wrapped in a white coat.
Norm Rockwell
September 26, 2025 AT 09:28EVERYONE KNOWS THE CDC IS LYING. I read a guy on 4chan who knew a nurse who saw the autism spike after they started pushing Tylenol in prenatal clinics. The MMR vaccine? They split it in the 80s and autism dropped. Then they recombined it for profit. Big Pharma owns the WHO, the FDA, AND Trump. He’s the only one brave enough to say it out loud. Wake up, sheeple.
Lawrence Abiamuwe
September 27, 2025 AT 11:49Thank you for this clear and well-researched summary. As a father of two, I am deeply grateful that science continues to guide us through misinformation. May we always prioritize evidence over emotion, and compassion over chaos.
Dan Ripma
September 28, 2025 AT 16:14There is a profound irony here: we live in an age where truth is no longer determined by evidence, but by the volume of the shout. Trump’s rhetoric is not an anomaly - it is the symptom of a civilization that has outsourced its epistemic authority to spectacle. The real tragedy is not the drug, but the surrender of reason to the theater of outrage. When we mistake noise for knowledge, we abandon not just science - but our humanity.
amrin shaikh
September 29, 2025 AT 10:23Let’s be brutally honest - if you’re still trusting EMA or MHRA after their collusion with Big Pharma on opioids, SSRIs, and now this, you’re not just naive, you’re complicit. Baccarelli’s $150k payout? That’s chump change. The real scandal is the 30-year longitudinal cohort studies that were buried because they showed a dose-dependent increase in ASD risk. You think the FDA would let a drug like this stay on shelves if it were linked to schizophrenia? Please. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Read the 2019 JAMA Pediatrics meta-analysis - the one they didn’t want you to see.
jai utkarsh
September 30, 2025 AT 16:03It’s not just acetaminophen - it’s the entire paradigm of medical paternalism. We’ve reduced the sacred, complex experience of pregnancy to a checklist of approved pharmaceuticals, while ignoring the holistic, ancestral wisdom of rest, nutrition, and community care. The fact that we’ve normalized chemical intervention as the default response to every minor discomfort reveals a deeper cultural rot. We don’t trust our bodies anymore. We don’t trust nature. We don’t trust each other. And now we’re told to trust regulators who are paid by the same companies that profit from our fear. This isn’t medicine. This is pharmaceutical colonialism - and it’s being sold to mothers as safety.
Chandan Gond
October 1, 2025 AT 01:21You’ve got this. Stay strong. The science is on your side. Don’t let noise drown out the facts. Your baby deserves a healthy mom - and acetaminophen is one of the best tools we have to make that happen. Talk to your doctor. Trust the data. You’re not alone.