U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday people shouldn't take Tylenol while they are pregnant or give the drug to their children.Michael Conroy/The Associated Press
Lynn Murphy-Kaulbeck, who has specialized in maternal medicine in New Brunswick for two decades, is preparing for questions she expects from patients this week about acetaminophen use during pregnancy and whether it causes autism.
A number of medical professionals say the body of scientific literature does not support this claim, but U.S. President Donald Trump does.
In a rare move, Mr. Trump warned about acetaminophen use in pregnancy and among infants at a news conference on Monday while flanked by lead members of his administration in health, including U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Acetaminophen is the active ingredient in the popular painkiller Tylenol.
“If you’re pregnant, don’t take Tylenol,” Mr. Trump said. “When you have your baby, don’t give your baby Tylenol.
Mr. Trump’s comments marked a notable shift in the realm of health and politics; past presidents have not opined on specific medications and their use. But political observers and medical professionals, in America and beyond, believe Mr. Trump and his administration are taking ideological positions rather than scientific ones. And they fear this carries serious health risks.
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Dr. Murphy-Kaulbeck was not surprised to hear Mr. Trump’s comments, but she expects it will take additional time to address them with patients. She also said her colleagues in gynecology expect similar queries.
The physician believes Mr. Trump’s comments fuel mistrust in the medical profession at a time of growing concern about the prevalence of medical falsehoods shared online.
“You’ve got somebody in that position of power giving this information, and then as a health care provider, I’m trying to combat that and say: ‘No, that’s not true,’” she said.
Dr. Murphy-Kaulbeck is the current president of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC), which last week reaffirmed its position on the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy after a review of the latest science.
The SOGC said it recommends pregnant patients use it when medically necessary, that they follow the recommended dose and use it for the shortest amount of time possible. It also said it is well documented that an untreated fever carries risks during pregnancy, including increased risk of miscarriage and preterm labour.
Deepa Singal, the scientific director of the Autism Alliance of Canada, shares in the concern that Mr. Trump’s comments undermine trust in science. She pointed to a Swedish population-based study last year that looked at acetaminophen use during pregnancy and children’s risk of developing autism. It found no evidence of increased risk of autism.
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“What strikes me when I watch the press conference and when I’m looking at the rhetoric that’s coming out of the United States is that we’re really causing harm to pregnant women and stoking fear and also devaluing and dehumanizing autistic people,” she said.
“We are just setting back the neuro-affirming movement by decades.”
Physician Evdokia Anagnostou, who is vice-president of research and the Stuart D. Sims chair in autism with the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, said Monday there is no single cause of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Scientific evidence shows ASD arises from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Acetaminophen is the safest option to treat fever and pain during pregnancy and is backed by science, she added. Health Canada released a statement echoing sentiments on the efficacy of its use.
In a new public advisory released Tuesday evening, the department said acetaminophen is a “recommended treatment for fever and pain during pregnancy.”
There is no conclusive evidence that using the medication as directed during pregnancy causes autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders, the advisory said, adding Canadians should always follow directions on the label.
Canadian health organizations are increasingly concerned that science is under attack, which prompted many to issue a joint statement warning that false health information is normalized and carries “serious harm to patients, communities, public trust and health policy.”
The statement was endorsed by, among others, the Canadian Medical Association, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, the College of Family Physicians of Canada, the Associations of Faculties of Medicine of Canada, all provincial medical associations.
Timothy Caulfield, research director at the Health Law Institute and professor in the faculty of law and school of public health at the University of Alberta who closely researches misinformation, also came out in support of the statement.
He said Mr. Trump’s announcement was not surprising, and that it builds on familiar and worrisome trends in the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) political movement.
Led by Mr. Kennedy, MAHA scrutinizes the use of prescribed medicines and food ingredients, amongst other things, as part of a pledge to reduce chronic disease in the U.S.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to correct the title of physician Evdokia Anagnostou, who is vice-president of research and the Stuart D. Sims chair in autism with the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.