The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reaffirmed that neither Tylenol nor vaccines have been shown to cause autism, countering claims made by U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration.
Speaking in Geneva on Tuesday, WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic stressed that while some observational studies had suggested a possible association between prenatal use of acetaminophen—commonly known as paracetamol and sold as Tylenol—and autism, the evidence remained inconsistent.
“If the link between acetaminophen and autism were strong, it would likely have been consistently observed across multiple studies,” Jasarevic said, cautioning against “drawing casual conclusions” from limited findings.
Trump on Monday urged pregnant women to avoid Tylenol and cast doubt on standard childhood immunisation schedules, echoing anti-vaccine talking points. He also questioned the safety of aluminium, an adjuvant used in some vaccines, despite decades of scientific evidence confirming its safety.
Medical regulators across Europe quickly reiterated that paracetamol remains safe for use in pregnancy. Alison Cave, chief safety officer at Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, said:
“There is no evidence that taking paracetamol during pregnancy causes autism in children.” The European Medicines Agency echoed the same conclusion, citing rigorous assessments of available data.
Jasarevic also reaffirmed WHO’s position on vaccines, stating unequivocally: “Vaccines do not cause autism.” He emphasised that the global immunisation schedule has saved at least 154 million lives over the past five decades and continues to protect people of all ages from 30 infectious diseases.
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He warned that disrupting or delaying vaccinations would increase infection risks, not only for unvaccinated children but also for communities at large. “Each missed dose increases the chances of contracting a life-threatening infectious disease,” he added.
Autism spectrum disorder affects an estimated 62 million people worldwide. WHO acknowledged the need for more research into its causes and better support for affected families but underscored that science has ruled out vaccines and paracetamol as causal factors.
“These things should not really be questioned,” Jasarevic concluded.