Donald Trump's comments about paracetamol 'pose a real threat to public health'
US president Donald Trump advised pregnant women — without evidence — to stop taking the drug because of an increased risk of children being autistic. Picture: Carla Feric
Donald Trump's claims about paracetamol causing autism pose a real threat to the wellbeing of children and pregnant women, experts have warned.
The US president advised pregnant women — without evidence — to stop taking the drug because of an increased risk of children being autistic.
He told them to “fight like hell” not to take it.
His comments have been widely condemned around the globe.
Professor Sarah Kittel-Schneider, head of the department of psychiatry and neurobehavioural science at University College Cork, said there is no evidence at all that there is a causal relationship between paracetamol and autism.
She said it is "highly risky and dangerous" to tell pregnant women not to take the pain medication which is known to be safe for them.
Prof Kittel-Schneider described as “especially dangerous” the potential the comments have for causing confusion.
Although some studies — which were not clinical trials — found small associations between paracetamol and autism, some have found no association or a protective effect. None showed paracetamol causes autism.
She urged the public to remember: “There is no evidence to say there is a negative impact on brain development from paracetamol.”
Her concerns are shared by Dervla Kelly, pharmacist and associate professor in medical education at the University of Limerick (UL).
She said she had heard Mr Trump's words with disbelief, adding: “It is worrying to see that type of comment given that this is a drug so commonly taken.”
There is no scientific evidence, she stressed, showing a plausible biological pathway for paracetamol to cause autism.
Dr Anne Dee, Irish Medical Organisation president, urged people to ignore the comments.
“These false assertions pose a real threat to public health, and the wellbeing of children and pregnant women,” she warned.
Irish charity, AsIAm, said the claims could promote “ a deeply medicalised, stigmatising and ultimately harmful view of autistic people".
It pointed out: “Autism is not a disease to be cured. It is a natural variation in human neurology.”
Dr Sadhbh O’Dwyer, a researcher in allied health at UL, echoed this saying: “What’s very worrying about nonsense like this is it sounds like they are harkening back to the 1950s.”
A theory common then was autism is caused by so-called ‘refrigerator mothers’ who were cruel to their children, she explained.
Dr Colm Henry, HSE chief clinical officer, also intervened.
“There is no evidence that taking paracetamol during pregnancy causes autism,” he said, noting this is based on “many years” of data including studies with pregnant women.
Mr Trump claimed too “based on what I feel” that MMR vaccines should not be given as a three in one jab.
Dr Henry dismissed this, telling RTÉ all vaccines and medicines in Europe are monitored for safety.
The Department of Health said guidelines for use of paracetamol are not being changed as there is no new evidence to warrant this.
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