Research from Harvard that looks into the impact of Tylenol on pregnant women has surfaced amidst a warning from President Trump advising expectant mothers to steer clear of the drug.
Dr. Andrea Bacarelli, the dean at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, recently co-authored a research review discussing acetaminophen, a common pain reliever, and its possible links to neurodevelopmental issues like autism.
According to an analysis published in a major London journal, pregnant women were cautioned to “limit acetaminophen consumption to protect the neurodevelopment of their offspring.”
The head of the FDA, Dr. Marty Makary, endorsed this analysis during a Monday announcement, claiming it highlights significant evidence connecting Tylenol to autism.
“We can’t wait anymore,” Makary said, emphasizing Bacarelli’s stark warning.
Trump echoed Makary’s statements while addressing reporters in the Roosevelt Room.
Interestingly, Bacarelli had previously served as an expert witness in a class action lawsuit against a Tylenol manufacturer, launched by parents who attributed ADHD and autism in their children to the drug.
In this case, Bacarelli was among five expert witnesses for the plaintiffs; however, a federal judge dismissed their testimonies, labeling them as “unbalanced.”
Judge Dennis Court stated, “The discussion in his report is incomplete, disproportionate and sometimes misleading,” highlighting that Bacarelli seemed to downplay the causal evidence while emphasizing supportive data.
Moreover, the court noted that the expert testimony didn’t provide clarity but rather obscured weaknesses in the presented evidence and inconsistencies in the research cited.
Harvard confirmed Bacarelli’s role as a paid expert witness, though they did not disclose his earnings.
In a statement before Monday’s press conference, Bacarelli updated a stringent NIH-funded review regarding the risks associated with acetaminophen during pregnancy.
His advice to those needing pain relief during pregnancy was to use the lowest effective dose of acetaminophen for the shortest duration possible, ideally after consulting with a doctor about individual risks versus benefits.
While various studies have indicated a correlation between the use of Tylenol during pregnancy and autism, the scientific community is voicing significant reservations about these conclusions.
A group of autism researchers, over 250 from the U.S., has asserted that the government’s warning about Tylenol “does not support claims linking the drug to autism… and only incites fear while falsely implying an easy solution where none exists.”
