US President Donald Trump on Monday cautioned pregnant individuals against using Tylenol, citing an unsubstantiated link to autism, while also advocating for major changes to standard infant vaccination schedules. The White House’s push to reshape healthcare in the United States has sparked concern among medical and scientific professionals over the administration’s proposals. Healthcare practitioners have long endorsed acetaminophen as one of the safest pain relief options during pregnancy, noting that untreated fever and pain can pose risks to both mother and foetus. Trump stated firmly, “Taking Tylenol is not good.” “For this reason, they are strongly recommending that women limit Tylenol use during pregnancy unless medically necessary. That’s for instance, in cases of extremely high fever that you feel you can’t tough it out,” he added. At the press conference, Trump also proposed significant changes to infant vaccination schedules, claiming without evidence that vaccinating newborns against Hepatitis B—a severe and highly infectious disease—is unnecessary. Echoing anti-vaccination rhetoric, Trump said, “I would say, wait until the baby is 12 years old and formed.” Medical experts warn that this contradicts decades of evidence showing that newborn vaccination within 24 hours of birth is essential to prevent maternal transmission of Hepatitis B, a liver-damaging and potentially carcinogenic disease. The announcement followed a recent meeting of a special advisory panel appointed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which refrained from endorsing a one-month delay for the initial Hepatitis B vaccination. The panel’s decision to continue discussions provided temporary reassurance to public health experts concerned about the consequences of postponing the vaccine.
US regulator approves drug for autism treatment
In a related move, the US pharmaceutical regulator approved the drug leucovorin for the treatment of autism. The Food and Drug Administration said in the US Federal Register that it had approved leucovorin, a concentrated form of folic acid. Folic acid is commonly given to expectant mothers to support healthy fetal development. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the administration’s controversial health chief, has promoted leucovorin as an “exciting therapy” for children with autism, though experts caution that its efficacy for autism remains under investigation.
