A landmark scientific review has delivered a definitive rebuttal to former US President Donald Trump's controversial claim that taking paracetamol during pregnancy causes autism in children. The research, published in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet, analysed data from over a million children and found no such link.
A Mother's Heartbreak and a Daughter's Distress
The political claim had very real, personal consequences. Laura Lacey, a 46-year-old data analyst from Newport, South Wales, and her 14-year-old autistic daughter Eva were among those deeply affected when Trump made his unsupported assertion last year, which he hailed as "one of the biggest announcements medically" in US history.
Laura has revealed how her daughter Eva, after seeing the claims online, questioned her during a car journey to school. "She just asked me if it was true and if I had taken paracetamol," Laura explained. "She said it in a kind of flippant teenage way, but it was on her mind and she probably was thinking I was to blame."
Laura described the episode as "hurtful" and "damaging," highlighting the unnecessary guilt it can impose on parents. "You live with guilt as a mum anyway," she said. "Hearing these claims felt like a damaging attempt to place blame on mothers for neurodevelopmental conditions that are widely understood to have strong genetic links."
The 'Gold Standard' Research That Settles the Debate
The new study provides the most robust evidence to date on the subject. Scientists conducted a "gold standard" review, examining 43 high-quality studies. Crucially, the analysis included cases of siblings where the same mother had taken paracetamol during one pregnancy but not the other.
The conclusion was clear: taking the common painkiller during pregnancy does not increase the risk of autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or intellectual disability in children. This comprehensive analysis directly contradicts the narrative promoted by Trump, which alarmed the global medical community.
A Call to End Dangerous Narratives
For Laura, the scientific debunking is a vital step in removing a burden of blame. "We must remove this guilt from a generation of mums who've been told their child's autism is their fault," she urged. She warned of the dangerous real-world impact of such misinformation, noting that paracetamol can be a lifesaving treatment for a high fever during pregnancy.
"Not taking paracetamol when you have a high fever when pregnant can do damage to your baby," Laura stated. "You just fear some mums may be causing their baby harm by listening to this lunatic." She expressed concern that despite the new evidence, the false claim may persist, but hopes the research will reassure parents and end a harmful cycle of blame.
