Tylenol has come under fresh scrutiny after a 2017 post resurfaced in which the brand appeared to warn pregnant women against using its products.
The tweet, now being widely shared, stated: ‘We actually don’t recommend taking any of our products while pregnant.’
The White House has highlighted a debate just days after Donald Trump suggested that the common painkiller known as paracetamol in Britain might lead to autism.
Trump’s comments sparked backlash from medical professionals who insist there’s ‘no solid evidence’ to support such assertions. The MHRA, the UK’s regulatory body, also clarified: ‘There is no evidence linking paracetamol use during pregnancy to autism in children.’
Despite this, the official White House account recently reshared the 2017 tweet about Tylenol, featuring an image of Trump sporting a cap that reads “Right about everything.” The US Department of Health & Human Services also shared it, noting, ‘No caption needed.’
After inquiries by the Daily Mail, Tylenol manufacturer Kenvue responded, stating: ‘This eight-year-old consumer message is incomplete and doesn’t reflect our comprehensive guidance on the safe use of Tylenol.’
A representative further emphasized that paracetamol is still considered the safest pain relief choice for pregnant women, though any over-the-counter medication should be used only after consulting a healthcare professional.
Current Tylenol packaging advises: ‘If pregnant or breast-feeding, ask a health professional before use.’
Earlier this week, President Trump’s comments at a White House conference caused widespread concern when he indicated the painkiller might be linked to autism, advising ‘if you’re pregnant, don’t take Tylenol.’
The official White House account on X republished the post alongside an image of President Trump holding up a hat saying he was ‘right about everything’
Paracetamol packets in the UK carry almost identical warnings: ‘Talk to your doctor before taking these tablets if you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant or plan to get pregnant.
‘If necessary, paracetamol can be used during pregnancy. You should use the lowest possible dose that reduces your pain and/or your fever and use it for the shortest time possible.
‘Contact your doctor or midwife if the pain and/or fever are not reduced or if you need to take the medicine more often.’
Experts say such cautionary wording is common because it is considered unethical to carry out full clinical trials on pregnant women.
Data from retrospective studies can confirm that certain medicines are safe to use during pregnancy, but manufacturers stop short of formally recommending them.
Following Mr Trump’s remarks, Melissa Witt, a spokesman for Kenvue, said: ‘We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen [the US name for paracetamol] does not cause autism.
‘We strongly disagree with any suggestion otherwise and are deeply concerned with the health risk this poses for expecting mothers and parents.’
Scientists on both sides of the Atlantic also reacted with scepticism, with some warning the claims risk stigmatising parents of children with autism.
Senior British politicians were quick to dismiss the comments.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: ‘Don’t pay any attention whatsoever to what Donald Trump says about medicine.
‘In fact, don’t even take my word for it as a politician—listen to British doctors, British scientists, the NHS.
‘It’s really important, at a time when there is scepticism, to follow medical science.’
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch added: ‘It will create fear and anxiety among parents — and pregnant women will suffer unnecessary pain by believing it.’
Researchers have explored a possible connection for years.
A handful of well-publicised studies have suggested maternal use of paracetamol may be linked to higher rates of autism or ADHD in children.
But the findings have been inconsistent, and experts stress that any association is based on limited and conflicting evidence.
Paracetamol is widely used by pregnant women to treat pain, headaches and fever, and remains the NHS’s recommended ‘first choice’ painkiller during pregnancy, but only for short periods and at the lowest effective dose
Trump officials said they would seek to update the drug’s warning label and urge doctors against using the paracetamol medication, in pregnant women because of the supposed link
The most recent study, published last month by researchers at Mount Sinai in New York and Harvard’s School of Public Health, urged women to take paracetamol in pregnancy only on the advice of a doctor.
But its authors acknowledged the evidence was not conclusive, and emphasised their results did not prove the drug directly causes neurodevelopmental disorders.
Kenvue, Tylenol’s manufacturer, had made repeated attempts to head off Mr Trump’s announcement.
According to the Wall Street Journal, interim chief executive Kirk Perry met US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr earlier this month to argue the product remained a safe and vital way of relieving fever in pregnant women.
Tylenol is the best-known of more than 600 medicines that contain paracetamol as their active ingredient.
Paracetamol is widely used by pregnant women to treat pain, headaches and fever, and remains the NHS’s recommended ‘first choice’ painkiller during pregnancy—but only for short periods and at the lowest effective dose.
It is not the first time Tylenol has come under fire. In the early 1980s, seven people died in Chicago after taking Tylenol capsules that had been laced with potassium cyanide, triggering nationwide panic.
Manufacturer Johnson & Johnson responded by introducing tamper-proof packaging, including foil seals and other features that made it clear if a product had been interfered with.
These protections quickly became the industry standard across all over-the-counter medicines.
In 2023, Johnson & Johnson spun off Tylenol, along with brands such as Listerine and Neutrogena, into a new standalone company, Kenvue.
