The World Health Organisation (WHO) has firmly dismissed US President Donald Trump’s remarks suggesting that paracetamol use during pregnancy and childhood vaccines are linked to autism.
At a press briefing in Geneva, WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic clarified that scientific evidence does not support such claims. He noted that while some observational studies hinted at a possible association between prenatal paracetamol use and autism, the findings remain inconsistent.
“If there were a strong link, it would have been consistently observed across multiple studies,” Jasarevic explained. “This lack of replicability calls for caution before drawing causal conclusions.” He further stressed that medicines in pregnancy should be used with care, particularly in the first trimester, and that expectant mothers should always follow the advice of their doctors.
Addressing Trump’s comments on vaccines, Jasarevic underscored that WHO’s immunisation guidelines are based on decades of rigorous scientific review. “The childhood immunisation schedule, adopted globally, has saved at least 154 million lives over the past 50 years. Vaccines now protect against 30 infectious diseases and remain essential for children, adolescents and adults,” he said.
He warned against delaying or spacing out vaccines, highlighting the heightened risks of infection for children, immunocompromised individuals, and broader communities. “Each missed dose increases the chances of contracting a life-threatening disease,” he added.
Trump, during a White House briefing, had earlier advised women to avoid acetaminophen throughout pregnancy and suggested that childhood vaccinations be postponed until children are “12 years old and fully formed.” He claimed the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would alert doctors to possible autism risks from Tylenol, citing animal studies.
WHO reaffirmed that its upcoming Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) meeting would further review vaccine-related evidence to strengthen global recommendations.