U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will notify doctors that the use of acetaminophen (paracetamol) during pregnancy \u201cmay be associated with a greatly increased risk of autism in babies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tylenol is one of the most well-known brands in the U.S. that contains acetaminophen (in Europe and Serbia the name paracetamol is used).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey strongly recommend that women limit the use of Tylenol during pregnancy unless medically necessary, such as in cases of extremely high fever,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, experts emphasize that autism has multiple causes and that scientific evidence on the connection between Tylenol use during pregnancy and autism is still not conclusive, CNN reminds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump made this announcement from the Oval Office, in the presence of Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Director Dr. Mehmet Oz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He stated that previously there was one case of autism per 20,000 births, but that the autism rate has risen by 400 percent since 2000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cInstead of attacking those who ask questions, we should all be grateful to those trying to find answers to this complex situation,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump noted that he heard that groups such as the Amish, who do not take medicine and do not receive vaccines, have no cases of autism. Kennedy distanced himself from this statement, saying that \u201cthere are certain studies that suggest this may be the case.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The U.S. President said that because of this, they strongly recommend women limit the use of Tylenol during pregnancy unless medically necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFor example, in cases of very high fever when you feel you cannot bear it, then you will have to take Tylenol, but very sparingly. Fever is very dangerous, and ideally that decision should be made by a doctor, because I don\u2019t think you should be taking it. And you shouldn\u2019t be taking it throughout the entire pregnancy, and toward the end of pregnancy not at all. And you shouldn\u2019t be giving Tylenol to the child when it is born or every time it gets a shot,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump also said that \u201cvaccines should be given in smaller doses and more frequently.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He claimed that during life in the U.S. \u201cpeople receive around 80 different vaccines in combinations.\u201d He believes, he added, that some vaccines should be separated, and that there is no reason to give babies a hepatitis B vaccine that is transmitted sexually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CNN reminds that this strategy has led to hepatitis B infection in children being nearly eradicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n