The head of a UK autism charity has branded claims made by US President Donald Trump as ‘dangerous’.
Mel Merritt, Head of Policy and Campaigns at the National Autistic Society, was responding to Trump’s claim using of Tylenol, commonly known in the UK as Paracetamol, when pregnant is a cause of autism in children.
Doctors in the US will be soon be advised not to prescribe the painkillers to expectant mothers but UK health officials have stressed that it is the safest option for them.
Mel said: “This is dangerous, it’s anti-science and it’s irresponsible. President Donald Trump is peddling the worst myths of recent decades. Such dangerous pseudo science is putting pregnant women and children at risk and devaluing autistic people.
“Let’s be clear painkillers do not cause autism and vaccines do not cause autism. Largescale studies have shown that there is no robust, scientific evidence to support this claim. It’s nothing more than fearmongering.
“We urge anyone looking for information about autism to visit websites from trusted organisations such as the NHS and the National Autistic Society.”
Health experts in the UK criticised Trump, with Dr Monique Botha, associate professor in social and developmental psychology at Durham University, warning: “The fearmongering will prevent women from accessing the appropriate care during pregnancy.
“There is no robust evidence or convincing studies to suggest there is any causal relationship. Further, it risks stigmatising families who have autistic children as having brought it on themselves.”
Dimitrios Siassakos, professor in obstetrics and gynaecology at University College London and honorary consultant in obstetrics at University College London Hospital (UCLH), said the “undue focus on paracetamol” would “risk preventing families from using one of the safest medications to use in pregnancy when needed
The NHS current advice for pregnant women regarding the use of paracetamol is that its safe for them to consume and that it is the main recommended painkiller during pregnancy.
By Tierna McCourt, Becca Senior and Isabella Stanley.
