Health Canada says there is “no conclusive evidence” that using Tylenol as directed during pregnancy can cause autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders in newborns.
The recommendation issued Wednesday is the latest pushback to the claims filed this week by US President Donald Trump and his top political health appointees, and is not supported by new evidence or research.
“Acetaminophen is the recommended treatment for pain and fever during pregnancy when used according to instructions,” the Canadian advisor uses the general name of the drug commonly sold as Tylenol. “It should be used at the lowest effective dose for the shortest time required.
“Untreated fever and pain in pregnant women can pose a risk to the fetus,” he adds.
Advisory states that acetaminophen has been safely used by millions of Canadians over decades and is “pregnant and breastfeeding.”
Health Canada says taking too many of the drugs can cause other harm, including “serious harm” to the liver.
Patients who are pregnant or breastfed and have questions about drug use are encouraged to talk to their doctor and contact their health care provider if the pain lasts longer than five days or if the fever lasts for three days.
In another statement issued early Wednesday morning, the World Health Organization said “extensive research has been undertaken over the past decade, including a large study investigating the link between acetaminophen use and autism during pregnancy.”
“At this point, there has not been a consistent relationship.”
At a White House press conference on Monday, Trump repeatedly warned pregnant women not to take Tylenol while “pregnant.”
He said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration would notify doctors that acetaminophen use could be “incorporated” with an increased risk of autism, but did not immediately provide medical evidence of the FDA's new recommendation.
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“We'll fight like hell to not take that,” Trump said. He said that if the patient felt that he had to take Tylenol, it would “good for himself,” but “there is no drawback to not taking it.”
The claims are supported by US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who joined Trump in a presentation along with Medicaid and Medicare Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz.
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Oz, who held daytime medical shows for more than a decade before entering politics, told TMZ on Tuesday that Tylenol could still be prescribed to pregnant women suffering from Heber, and those women should listen to doctors' advice.
“Take it when it's right,” Oz said. Adding Tylenol is “probably your best option” in combating low-grade fever that doesn't require hospitalization.
He also warned Americans not to make “healthcare decisions based on their politics,” saying Trump's “bold” announcement is “based on science.”
Last week, the Canadian Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists found that after reviewing available evidence there was no causal link between prenatal exposure to acetaminophen and certain neurodevelopmental disorders, and said they wanted to go ahead with Trump's expected announcement.
The association also revealed that it can cause serious complications during pregnancy, leaving behind fever and pain without treatment. This reflects guidance from the Maternal and Fetal Medicine Association.
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“Untreated fever is associated with miscarriage, fetal organ malformations, fetal cardiovascular complications, and even autism spectrum disorder,” the statement said.
“Untreated pain can lead to depression, anxiety and high blood pressure. This also has a negative effect on pregnancy. Access to effective pain management is considered a human right to not deny women just because they are pregnant.”
The U.S. College of Obstetrics and Gynecology has not changed its stance on acetaminophen safety despite Trump's claims.
Some studies have raised the possibility of a link between autism risk and the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy, but these are observational studies comparing children's health records and autism characteristics. These types of studies cannot tell whether painkillers directly affected autism or whether it was a fever or other health issue that encouraged the need for the pill.
The 2021 position paper by the SOGC stated that evidence of the causal relationship between Tylenol and autism is based on fundamental flaws that should not change current clinical practice.
Factors known to increase the risk of neurodevelopment in children, such as genetics and certain health conditions, have not been considered by editors of those studies or medical journals.
The coalition of autism scientists notes that the use of acetaminophen-associated pain relievers during pregnancy has not increased in recent decades, like autism rates.
Oz cited an August study led by Harvard University health researchers warning that prenatal use of acetaminophen could increase the risk of autism in children.
Based on a review of previous studies that made the same connection, this study recommended the “wise” use of painkillers at the lowest possible dose to treat fever and pain, highlighting the risk of long-term use for several weeks at a time.
– Using files from the Associated Press and Canadian press
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