Australia’s government is reportedly seeking urgent advice after the Trump administration made unproven claims that the use of paracetamol by pregnant women, such as Panadol or Tylenol, could be linked to autism in children.

The president stated that the FDA will immediately notify physicians to caution pregnant women against using paracetamol ‘unless medically necessary,’ such as in instances of ‘extremely high fever’.

He emphasized that pregnant women ‘have a responsibility’ to endure pain instead of taking Tylenol and should only use it if they ‘can’t tough it out’ or are experiencing an extremely high fever.

‘Taking Tylenol is not good. It’s not good… Don’t take Tylenol,’ Trump repeated. 

‘Just don’t take it unless it’s absolutely necessary.’

Trump acknowledged that his advice did not align with the US Food and Drug Administration but was based on ‘what I feel’.

It is thought that the active ingredient in Tylenol, known around the world as paracetamol, may impact fetal brain development.

However, research has largely been inconsistent, and major health bodies, including those in Australia, still recommend it for pregnant women. 

It has been reported that Health Minister Mark Butler has called for urgent advice following the Trump announcement.

Nonetheless, Australia’s medicine regulator, the TGA, has reiterated that paracetamol is safe and confirmed it remains in pregnancy category A, indicating it is considered safe for use during pregnancy.

‘The use of medications in pregnancy is subject to clinical, scientific, and toxicological evaluation at the time of registration of a medicine in Australia,’ the TGA stated.

‘The TGA has no current active safety investigations for paracetamol and autism, or paracetamol and neurodevelopmental disorders more broadly.’

The announcement comes as the Trump administration and health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr have prioritized addressing America’s rising autism rates, with one in 31 children now estimated to have the condition, compared to one in 150 children in 2000.

Trump cited that the rate was closer to one in 20,000 decades ago but did not specify. Historical data suggests the president was exaggerating.

Experts say the increase is largely due to a loosening of the definition of autism and because doctors have become better at detecting the condition.

But others, including RFK Jr, have suggested toxins in the environment, older parents or maternal obesity could be behind the rise.

Kennedy added: ‘We are continuing to investigate multiplicity of potential causes.

‘We will be uncompromising and relentless in our pursuit. Whatever the answer is, we will tell you what we find.’

The maker of the Paracetamol earlier pushed back against the Trump administration’s claims that the painkiller causes autism, branding it ‘dangerous’ and insisting its drug remains the safest option for pain and fever relief in pregnant women.

Additionally, Trump praised the CDC’s latest move to stop recommending the combined MMR and varicella vaccine and urged Americans to break up the MMR vaccine into three separate shots because mixing them ‘could be a problem’. 

“We want no mercury in the vaccine. We want no aluminum in the vaccine. The MMR I think should be taken separately. This is based on what I feel. The mumps, measles, the … all three should be taken separately. It seems to be that when you mix them, there could be a problem.’