Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who holds a medical license, has recently criticized President Trump for advising pregnant women against using acetaminophen due to alleged links to autism in their children.
“The evidence suggests that this concern isn’t substantiated,” Cassidy, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (Help), commented on Monday via Social Platform X. “Women need options for pain management during pregnancy, and this issue deserves our attention.”
Republicans in Louisiana have expressed their support for the administration’s intent to investigate the matter further and have urged the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide data backing up their claims.
During a warning to pregnant women regarding acetaminophen, Trump was joined by HHS official Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other health leaders. Acetaminophen, commonly found in Tylenol, is widely used to alleviate pain.
The president advised that pregnant women should avoid acetaminophen unless they experience a very high fever. Some studies have suggested a connection between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD), including autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders (ADHDs), according to a White House statement.
In a recent review published on August 14th by researchers at Mount Sinai and Harvard University, supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), it was noted that 27 out of 46 studies showed a positive correlation between acetaminophen usage during pregnancy and NDD in children.
The Maternal Fetal Medicine Association (SMFM), in a statement, remarked that despite the concerns raised, a comprehensive review of studies failed to establish a causal link between acetaminophen use in pregnancy and increased autism or ADHD risk.
They further emphasized the importance of ongoing research to better understand the factors contributing to neurodevelopmental disorders in children.
Kamboo, the manufacturer of Tylenol, contested the administration’s stance in a statement released on Monday, asserting, “Independent scientific evidence clearly indicates that acetaminophen does not cause autism,” said a spokesperson from the company, which separated from Johnson & Johnson in 2023.
The Hill has attempted to reach the White House and HHS for comments regarding Cassidy’s remarks.
