No link can be established between the use of paracetamol during pregnancy and the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children, concludes a large study published in the British scientific journal BMJ on Monday this week.
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The publication refutes the statement of President Donald Trump, who at the end of September assured the existence of a link between the drug and the diagnosis, without providing scientific evidence.
“Currently available data are insufficient to confirm an association between in utero acetaminophen exposure and autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in childhood,” the study concluded.
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The scientific community has condemned President Trump’s insistence that pregnant women not take acetaminophen.
The drug, also known by the brand name Tylenol, is a commonly used painkiller among pregnant women, especially since other drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen have proven risks to the fetus.
Following President Trump’s comments, the World Health Organization (WHO) also reaffirmed that there is no proven link between the drug and autism. New research supports this consensus.
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Several experts praised the publication. Dimitrios Sasiakos, professor of obstetrics at University College London, said in comments to Britain’s Science Media Center that the study was based on “high-quality methodology that has been repeated by experts around the world.”
Although the BMJ article is not based on new research, it provides the most complete and accurate overview ever published on the subject.
This is an “umbrella review”, a compilation of other studies that have attempted to synthesize knowledge on the subject.
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Several papers have suggested a possible link between acetaminophen and autism, but the authors of the new study say the quality is “low” or “very low.” Additionally, in most cases, insufficient precautions were not taken to rule out other factors that may have influenced the outcome, such as genetic predisposition or maternal health problems.
The criticism focused primarily on a study published this year in the scientific journal Environmental Health, which is frequently cited by the Trump administration. Although he could not confirm the existence of the study because it was an observational study, he suggested a possible link.
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