Paracetamol in pregnancy under indictment: Trump promises answers on autism. What the data say

The scientific community, however, remains divided.

A 2025 review reported statistical associations between prenatal paracetamol use and neurological disorders (autism and Adhd), but without demonstrating a causal link.

A 2024 Swedish study of 2.5 million children found no direct correlation. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, paracetamol remains the first-line drug for fever and pain in pregnancy, provided it is used at the lowest dosage and under medical supervision.

Many experts emphasise that the increase in autism cases is mainly due to a broader diagnostic definition and greater awareness, not a single environmental factor.

Dr Christine Henneberg denounced the risk of 'paternalism masquerading as prudence': 'Pregnant women, excluded from clinical trials, receive contradictory messages that lead them to forego necessary treatment for fear of harming the foetus.

Trump also questioned the vaccination against hepatitis B in infants: 'There is no reason to administer it now. Let's wait until the child is 12 years old'. This position contradicts the international medical consensus that vaccinating infants in the first 24 hours is the safest way to prevent transmission and serious complications. He also suggested reviewing childhood vaccination programmes, including the combined Mmr (measles, mumps and rubella) administration.

Besides prevention, the administration is also focusing on treatment. Trump and Kennedy pointed to leucovorin (a derivative of folic acid used in oncology and folate deficiency) as a possible treatment for some symptoms of autism. The FDA has asked pharmaceutical companies to increase production of the drug and announced that Medicaid will cover the costs for low-income families.

Available studies, however, remain preliminary: small samples have shown improvements in language and interpersonal skills, but large-scale clinical trials are lacking. Experts warn that "there is no concrete evidence that it works".

The Coalition of Autism Scientists accused Trump of fuelling unfounded fears and false hopes: 'The data do not support the claim that Tylenol causes autism or that leucovorin is a cure.

Kenvue, for his part, reiterated: 'Science clearly shows that paracetamol does not cause autism. We are deeply concerned about the risks that messages to the contrary may pose to women and parents'.

The stock on the stock exchange, after an initial slump, recovered some of its losses (+5% in extended trading). However, it remains down 14% since 5 September.

The autism dossier became a Kennedy workhorse, supported by the 'Make America Healthy Again' movement. Trump made it his own, turning it into a political event: 'We think we have found an answer to autism,' he declared. For the scientific community, however, the reality remains much more nuanced: no definitive evidence links Tylenol and autism, and Leucovorin remains an experimental drug.

The most immediate effect is therefore likely to be political and economic, rather than medical.