The pattern repeats itself with disturbing precision.
First came COVID misinformation. Now it’s prenatal care. The Trump Administration’s recent announcement linking acetaminophen to autism follows the same playbook: make bold health claims without scientific backing, contradict medical consensus, leave vulnerable people confused and scared.
I’ve watched this unfold before. The difference this time? Pregnant women are caught in the crossfire.
The Evidence Problem
When Trump declared “Taking Tylenol is not good” and claimed communities without the medicine have “no autism,” he ignored decades of rigorous research. The scientific community doesn’t just disagree with this position. They’ve actively disproven it.
The most comprehensive study analyzed data from over 2 million children in Sweden. When researchers controlled for confounding factors by comparing siblings born to the same mother, any association between acetaminophen use and autism “completely went away.”
This is the critical distinction the announcement ignores. Some observational studies have found statistical associations. But association isn’t causation.
Observational studies can’t control for all variables. Maybe mothers who take more acetaminophen during pregnancy have more infections, more stress, or other health conditions. These factors, not the medication, could explain any statistical relationship.
The Swedish study eliminated this problem by comparing siblings. Same mother, same genetic background, same household environment. The only difference was acetaminophen exposure. Result? No link to autism.
The Medical Reality
Here’s what makes this announcement particularly dangerous: fever during pregnancy poses real risks.
Untreated fever can cause miscarriage, birth defects, and premature birth. The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine warns these risks are especially severe early in pregnancy, when many women don’t even know they’re pregnant yet.
Acetaminophen is the only over-the-counter pain and fever reducer considered safe during pregnancy. When the administration tells pregnant women to avoid it unless “medically necessary,” they’re creating a false choice between two manufactured risks.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists called the announcement “highly unsettling” precisely because it affects “the health and well-being of millions of people without the backing of reliable data.”
The Trust Erosion
This pattern of health misinformation creates a deeper problem: it erodes trust in institutions that pregnant women need to rely on.
When political announcements contradict medical consensus, people stop knowing who to believe. Some will avoid acetaminophen and risk dangerous fevers. Others will dismiss all health warnings as political theater.
Both responses are dangerous.
The announcement even cited research from Harvard’s Andrea Baccarelli, whose work on acetaminophen and autism was previously rejected by a federal judge as “unreliable” expert testimony. Using disputed research to support predetermined policy positions isn’t science. It’s politics dressed up as medicine.
The Real Standard
I understand the appeal of simple answers to complex problems. Autism rates have increased, and parents desperately want explanations. But good science doesn’t work by finding convenient scapegoats.
Real evidence requires controlled studies, peer review, and replication. It means accepting uncertainty when the data isn’t clear. It means distinguishing between statistical associations and actual causation.
The European Medicines Agency, Australian health authorities, and medical organizations worldwide have examined the same research the Trump Administration cited. Their conclusion? “Available evidence has found no link between the use of paracetamol during pregnancy and autism.”
This isn’t about politics. It’s about protecting pregnant women from having to choose between manufactured fears and real medical risks.
Moving Forward
Pregnant women deserve better than having their healthcare decisions influenced by political announcements that contradict scientific evidence.
They deserve clear, honest information about real risks and benefits. They deserve medical guidance based on the best available evidence, not the loudest political voices.
Most importantly, they deserve health policies that prioritize their wellbeing over political messaging.
The pattern of health misinformation doesn’t have to continue. But stopping it requires choosing evidence over politics, even when the evidence is more complex than we’d like it to be.
