Following remarks by the US president and his administration to the contrary, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared on Tuesday that neither immunizations nor the pain reliever Tylenol have been proven to cause autism.
On Monday, President Donald Trump called for significant changes to the standard immunizations given to infants and suggested that pregnant women “tough it out” and avoid taking Tylenol because of an unsubstantiated link to autism.
Acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol, the main component of Tylenol, has long been listed by medical organizations as one of the safest pain relievers to consume while pregnant.
“Observational studies that have suggested a possible association between prenatal exposure to acetaminophen or paracetamol and autism” were acknowledged by WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic.
