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Topics: News, Health, Donald Trump, US News
Gerrard Kaonga
Topics: News, Health, Donald Trump, US News
Donald Trump raised eyebrows after making a brazen claim about autism and the use of paracetamol in the US.
Trump insisted that he was going to reveal the cause’ of autism and held a whole press conference to give the news to America.
During the press briefing, he alleged that there was once just one in 10,000 children with autism, but this figure is now one in 31 in some areas of America.
This seemingly does not take into consideration that the rate of diagnosis has increased significantly over the decades.
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He and other officials noted that they believe the increase could be tied to Tylenol. Tylenol is a common type of painkiller in the US that has acetaminophen (known as paracetamol in countries like the UK) as its primary active ingredient.
The POTUS shared that the FDA 'are strongly recommending that women limit Tylenol use during pregnancy unless medically necessary' and that the agency will notify physicians of this.
He went on to say that he personally thinks that expectant mothers should not take it at all.
Tylenol released a statement on the matter and denied Trump’s claims that it causes autism.
The company said: “We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism.
“We strongly disagree with any suggestion otherwise and are deeply concerned with the health risk this poses for expecting mothers.”
With that said, doctors and physicians across the world have had to weigh in on Trump’s statements and have released their own statements regarding the safety of taking paracetamol.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has clear guidelines regarding what painkillers are safe to use.
On a FAQ section on the use of acetaminophen in pregnancy it read: “ACOG supports the use of acetaminophen in pregnancy when taken as needed, in moderation, and after consultation with a doctor.
“Acetaminophen has long been established as a safe pain reliever and fever reducer for use during pregnancy.”
The Food and Drug Administration has also highlighted that pregnant women should avoid these painkillers when in the second trimester.
They have said: “The FDA advises pregnant people not to take aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve) after 19 weeks of pregnancy. Taking these medicines could cause rare but serious kidney conditions in a fetus.”
The FDA currently does not warn against the consumption of acetaminophen while pregnant, however and does not suggest that the consumption of any of these pain killers can lead to autism.
UNILAD has reached out to Tylenol for comment.