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First they came for the paracetamol – will epidurals be next?
The Observer
|September 28, 2025
Where to begin with Trump's conference this week in which he revealed "one of the biggest announcements medically in the history of the country... an answer to autism"?
In a typically incoherent rant, he told expectant mothers not to take Tylenol - the brand name by which most Americans know paracetamol - because it was associated with a "very increased risk of autism". It must be clearly stated: there is no strong evidence for this.
Trump said pregnant women should "tough it out" - revealing plainly what he thinks about women and pain. We learned that he has "always had strong feelings about autism and how it happened and where it came from". Well, phew!
Actual scientists, doctors and international health agencies - including the NHS and the WHO - criticised the airing of these "strong feelings" and pointed out that the highest-quality evidence found no association between paracetamol and autism. Even rightwing media seemed uneasy about this latest belch of pseudoscience.
But even though Trump's comments were typically asinine - from a person who clearly doesn't understand science, causation, biology, or bleach - the delivery of misinformation will cause harm. Pregnancy can be a state of anxiety, with a heightened vigilance to protect the growing baby. Even if you think Trump is an idiot, you might be unsure. The Food and Drug Administration is changing the labels? Aren't they legit?
This story is from the September 28, 2025 edition of The Observer.
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