In a televised press conference on Monday, Donald Trump and health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr made a series of unproven claims about autism, linking it to paracetamol use in pregnant women and childhood vaccinations. The comments were immediately refuted by scientists and health agencies worldwide, who expressed concern about the spread of misinformation from the highest levels of government.
Guardian science editor Ian Sample fact-checked the claims, noting that decades of research show no causal link between paracetamol (also known as Tylenol) and autism, nor between vaccines and autism. Experts emphasise that autism diagnoses are rising due to better awareness and diagnostic criteria, not environmental factors.
Health agencies have urged the public to ignore the statements, stressing that paracetamol remains safe for use during pregnancy when taken as directed. The controversy highlights the ongoing challenge of combating health misinformation in the public sphere.
