No link between autism, paracetamol use in pregnancy: WHO

ISLAMABAD: The World Health Organization said on Wednesday there is currently no conclusive scientific evidence confirming a possible link between autism and the use of paracetamol during pregnancy.

At this time, no consistent association between autism and paracetamol use has been established, the WHO said in a statement.

US President Donald Trump on Monday linked autism to childhood vaccine use and the taking of popular pain medication Tylenol by women when pregnant, elevating claims not backed by scientific evidence to the forefront of US health policy.

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In an extraordinary news conference at the White House, the Republican president delivered medical advice to pregnant women and parents of young children, repeatedly telling them not to use or administer the painkiller and suggesting that common vaccines not be taken together or so early in a child’s life.

The advice from Trump, who acknowledged he is not a doctor, goes against that of medical societies, which cite data from numerous studies showing that acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, plays a safe role in the well-being of pregnant women.