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| US doctors face anxious Tylenol conversations after Trump's autism announcement | US doctors face anxious Tylenol conversations after Trump's autism announcement |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Trump told pregnant women to "tough it out" rather than take pain and fever reliever Tylenol | Trump told pregnant women to "tough it out" rather than take pain and fever reliever Tylenol |
| After President Donald Trump told a room full of reporters that taking Tylenol during pregnancy was linked to a "very increased risk" of autism in children, several patients had questions for Dallas Reed, the chief of genetics at Tufts Medical Center in Boston. | |
| "Is this why my child has autism?" Dr Reed said one parent asked her about having taken Tylenol while pregnant. | "Is this why my child has autism?" Dr Reed said one parent asked her about having taken Tylenol while pregnant. |
| Dr Reed, an obstetrician herself, said she expects to have many more of these conversations with expectant mothers going forward, to reassure them that research does not show a conclusive link between Tylenol and the disorder. | |
| "Anxiety is at an all-time high during pregnancy," she said. | "Anxiety is at an all-time high during pregnancy," she said. |
| "I think it's unfortunate that now there's another thing on that list of topics that we need to do a deep dive into with our patients." | "I think it's unfortunate that now there's another thing on that list of topics that we need to do a deep dive into with our patients." |
| Doctors who spoke to the BBC said Trump's remarks could spark unnecessary fear among pregnant patients and put their health at risk, with few other safe options to treat potentially dangerous fevers and pain. | Doctors who spoke to the BBC said Trump's remarks could spark unnecessary fear among pregnant patients and put their health at risk, with few other safe options to treat potentially dangerous fevers and pain. |
| Anna Langer, a 42-year old Bay Area resident who is 21 weeks pregnant, said Trump's comments play on pregnant women's anxiety. She said it's "very diminishing for women". | Anna Langer, a 42-year old Bay Area resident who is 21 weeks pregnant, said Trump's comments play on pregnant women's anxiety. She said it's "very diminishing for women". |
| "What makes me the most angry is it's lying to women, and as part of that lie, saying, 'just suffer through it,'" she said. "[We're] wanting the best for the baby and we can't do that with this advice." | "What makes me the most angry is it's lying to women, and as part of that lie, saying, 'just suffer through it,'" she said. "[We're] wanting the best for the baby and we can't do that with this advice." |
| What we know about rising autism rates and Trump's unproven Tylenol link | What we know about rising autism rates and Trump's unproven Tylenol link |
| Dr Reed and other obstetricians say they plan to continue recommending acetaminophen - the main ingredient in Tylenol - to pregnant women when needed, as they say research does not support the claim the pain and fever reliever is linked to autism. | Dr Reed and other obstetricians say they plan to continue recommending acetaminophen - the main ingredient in Tylenol - to pregnant women when needed, as they say research does not support the claim the pain and fever reliever is linked to autism. |
| The widely held view of researchers worldwide is that there is no single cause of autism, a complex condition scientists say is caused by a host of genetic and non-genetic factors. | The widely held view of researchers worldwide is that there is no single cause of autism, a complex condition scientists say is caused by a host of genetic and non-genetic factors. |
| The Autism Science Foundation, a US charity, says that based on existing data there is not enough evidence to support a link between Tylenol and autism. | The Autism Science Foundation, a US charity, says that based on existing data there is not enough evidence to support a link between Tylenol and autism. |
| But it says that taking any medication during pregnancy should be approached with caution and medical advice should be sought. | But it says that taking any medication during pregnancy should be approached with caution and medical advice should be sought. |
| Anxious phone calls to doctors | Anxious phone calls to doctors |
| Acetaminophen is the main ingredient in the brand Tylenol, known as paracetamol elsewhere in the world. It is one of the only pain relievers recommended for pregnant women, as others like ibuprofen have been linked to birth defects and other adverse outcomes. | Acetaminophen is the main ingredient in the brand Tylenol, known as paracetamol elsewhere in the world. It is one of the only pain relievers recommended for pregnant women, as others like ibuprofen have been linked to birth defects and other adverse outcomes. |
| Speaking at a press conference on Monday alongside Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, Trump claimed acetaminophen caused autism and told women to "fight like hell" not to take it. | Speaking at a press conference on Monday alongside Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, Trump claimed acetaminophen caused autism and told women to "fight like hell" not to take it. |
| The announcement came just months after Kennedy pledged to find the forces behind rising cases of autism in the US. | The announcement came just months after Kennedy pledged to find the forces behind rising cases of autism in the US. |
| But public health experts say the evidence about Tylenol and autism is much less clear than Trump and his health secretary suggest. Part of the reason why rates have risen is because our understanding of autism has increased. More children are tested for it, and more are diagnosed. | But public health experts say the evidence about Tylenol and autism is much less clear than Trump and his health secretary suggest. Part of the reason why rates have risen is because our understanding of autism has increased. More children are tested for it, and more are diagnosed. |
| While some studies have shown a small link between taking acetaminophen during pregnancy and autism in children, no consistent and reliable group of studies has proven it a cause. Some research has even shown no association at all, including a 2024 study of nearly 2.5 million births in Sweden from 1995 to 2019. | While some studies have shown a small link between taking acetaminophen during pregnancy and autism in children, no consistent and reliable group of studies has proven it a cause. Some research has even shown no association at all, including a 2024 study of nearly 2.5 million births in Sweden from 1995 to 2019. |
| Still, many women have expressed concern following Trump's announcement. | Still, many women have expressed concern following Trump's announcement. |
| Emily Oster, a Brown University economist who runs the website ParentData, said she received an outpour of messages from mothers who were panicked because they took acetaminophen during pregnancy and were now looking for signs of autism in their children. | Emily Oster, a Brown University economist who runs the website ParentData, said she received an outpour of messages from mothers who were panicked because they took acetaminophen during pregnancy and were now looking for signs of autism in their children. |
| "We are scaring a bunch of people for no reason about things they did in the past and we're generating more anxiety in an already very anxious population," she said. | "We are scaring a bunch of people for no reason about things they did in the past and we're generating more anxiety in an already very anxious population," she said. |
| Dr Reed said Trump's remarks could contribute to a sense of guilt for parents whose children have been diagnosed with autism and have already been searching for answers. | Dr Reed said Trump's remarks could contribute to a sense of guilt for parents whose children have been diagnosed with autism and have already been searching for answers. |
| "My feeling, and I think the feeling of other people, is that there's really nothing that you did to cause this, and that includes taking a safe medication during pregnancy," she said. | "My feeling, and I think the feeling of other people, is that there's really nothing that you did to cause this, and that includes taking a safe medication during pregnancy," she said. |
| Toughing it out | Toughing it out |
| Doctors said they worried most about Trump's advice to pregnant women to "tough it out" rather than take Tylenol when in pain or ill. The president advised pregnant women to take the medication only in the case of severe fever. | Doctors said they worried most about Trump's advice to pregnant women to "tough it out" rather than take Tylenol when in pain or ill. The president advised pregnant women to take the medication only in the case of severe fever. |
| Experts say that advice is potentially dangerous. | Experts say that advice is potentially dangerous. |
| "It is troubling and worrisome," said Allison Bryant, a high-risk obstetrician at Massachusetts General Hospital. "I do worry that people will try to avoid medications at all costs because of this fear or worry, which may lead to a sort of unintended harm." | "It is troubling and worrisome," said Allison Bryant, a high-risk obstetrician at Massachusetts General Hospital. "I do worry that people will try to avoid medications at all costs because of this fear or worry, which may lead to a sort of unintended harm." |
| Pregnant women deserve the same treatment for their pain that others receive, said Elizabeth Langen, a maternal foetal medicine specialist at Michigan Medicine. | Pregnant women deserve the same treatment for their pain that others receive, said Elizabeth Langen, a maternal foetal medicine specialist at Michigan Medicine. |
| She said pain can trigger stress responses and other health effects that negatively impact pregnancies. "Leaving people in pain is not a healthy approach to a pregnancy," she said. | She said pain can trigger stress responses and other health effects that negatively impact pregnancies. "Leaving people in pain is not a healthy approach to a pregnancy," she said. |
| Untreated fevers in pregnant women also poses a danger and has been linked to a host of adverse consequences for maternal and foetal health, including miscarriages, pre-term births and birth defects. | Untreated fevers in pregnant women also poses a danger and has been linked to a host of adverse consequences for maternal and foetal health, including miscarriages, pre-term births and birth defects. |
| Lucy, a 38-year-old from Minneapolis, Minnesota, who is 37-weeks pregnant, said Trump's comments were insulting, adding that women are constantly confronted with advice about what they should be doing during pregnancy. | Lucy, a 38-year-old from Minneapolis, Minnesota, who is 37-weeks pregnant, said Trump's comments were insulting, adding that women are constantly confronted with advice about what they should be doing during pregnancy. |
| "Pregnancy is one of the hardest things a woman is ever going to do ... so to be told to tough it out is infuriating," she said. | "Pregnancy is one of the hardest things a woman is ever going to do ... so to be told to tough it out is infuriating," she said. |
| 'Distracting' from health care | 'Distracting' from health care |
| During his announcement on Monday, Trump said the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would notify doctors that acetaminophen taken during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of autism. | During his announcement on Monday, Trump said the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would notify doctors that acetaminophen taken during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of autism. |
| A notice from the FDA to physicians used more cautionary language, noting that a causal relationship between Tylenol and autism has yet to be established, and that acetaminophen is one of the only safe fever relievers for pregnant women. | A notice from the FDA to physicians used more cautionary language, noting that a causal relationship between Tylenol and autism has yet to be established, and that acetaminophen is one of the only safe fever relievers for pregnant women. |
| The letter tells doctors to consider limiting the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy for low-grade fevers. | The letter tells doctors to consider limiting the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy for low-grade fevers. |
| Physicians are already having conversations with pregnant patients weighing the risks and benefits of taking medications against untreated symptoms, said Dr Bryant. | Physicians are already having conversations with pregnant patients weighing the risks and benefits of taking medications against untreated symptoms, said Dr Bryant. |
| "It is always shared decision making," she said. "For any medication exposure during pregnancy, we like for pregnant individuals to review with their providers, their midwife, their doctor, what's going on and what are the best next steps." | "It is always shared decision making," she said. "For any medication exposure during pregnancy, we like for pregnant individuals to review with their providers, their midwife, their doctor, what's going on and what are the best next steps." |
| Doctors said that because Trump's remarks were not evidence based, they bared no weight on how they would advise their pregnant patients. Doctors said they would defer to major medical associations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which says acetaminophen is safe for pain and fever relief in pregnant women. | Doctors said that because Trump's remarks were not evidence based, they bared no weight on how they would advise their pregnant patients. Doctors said they would defer to major medical associations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which says acetaminophen is safe for pain and fever relief in pregnant women. |
| Dr Langen said she welcomed the chance to reassure patients about the medication and walk them through the science. | Dr Langen said she welcomed the chance to reassure patients about the medication and walk them through the science. |
| But, she said, the more time providers have to spend dispelling myths about Tylenol, the less time they have to discuss other important health issues. | But, she said, the more time providers have to spend dispelling myths about Tylenol, the less time they have to discuss other important health issues. |
| "It really distracts and takes away from the quality of health care that we're able to provide to people," she said. | "It really distracts and takes away from the quality of health care that we're able to provide to people," she said. |