The federal agency says there is nothing to suggest that using acetaminophen \u2014 the drug\u2019s generic name \u2014 as directed during pregnancy causes either autism or any other neurodevelopmental disorders.<\/p>\n
\u201cAcetaminophen is a recommended treatment of pain or fever in pregnancy when used as directed. It should be used at the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration needed. Untreated fever and pain in pregnant women can pose risks to the unborn child,\u201d said Health Canada in a statement.<\/p>\n
As misinformation around the drug spreads, Health Canada says it\u2019s offering advice that\u2019s based on \u201crobust and rigorous assessments\u201d and scientific evidence. It\u2019s also monitoring the safety of all medicines authorized for use in Canada, including acetaminophen.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll Canadian non-prescription acetaminophen products already carry clear warnings about safe use during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as well as the risk of serious liver injury if too much is taken,\u201d it adds.<\/p>\n
What to do, according to Health Canada<\/p>\n
Continue to use acetaminophen for pain and\/or fever during pregnancy, as directed. Always follow the directions on the label.<\/p>\n
Do not take more than the recommended dose. Taking too much acetaminophen can cause harms, including serious harm to your liver.<\/p>\n
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, talk to your health-care provider if you have questions about the use of any medications.<\/p>\n
Contact a health-care provider if pain lasts more than five days, or fever lasts more than three days.<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, Trump blasted Tylenol, advising people not to take the drug during a White House news conference. He also pushed mothers not to give it to their infants.<\/p>\n
The maker of Tylenol, Kenvue Inc., is refuting Trump\u2019s claims, and some experts believe that loyalty to a brand that has been around since the 1950s may actually limit any potential sales damage.<\/p>\n
A group representing Canada\u2019s obstetricians and gynecologists says it has reviewed evidence about the safety of Tylenol use during pregnancy and maintains the painkiller is safe.<\/p>\n
The drug is commonly referred to as acetaminophen or Tylenol in North America, and paracetamol in other countries.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/e38f9aefcb8f32211461b27157352ca2cc11ab2d8bc8adc64ef5de3a48c12424-edited.jpg\")
Extra Strength Tylenol is shown in Carmel, Ind., Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. (AP Photo\/Michael Conroy) <\/p>\n
World Health Organization latest to rebuff Trump\u2019s claims<\/p>\n
In its statement issued early Wednesday morning, the World Health Organization (WHO) said \u201cextensive research has been undertaken over the past decade, including large-scale studies, looking into links between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAt this time, no consistent association has been established.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Evdokia Anagnostou, co-leader of the Autism Research Centre at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto, said acetaminophen is \u201cthe safest option we have for treating fever and pain during pregnancy\u201d and is \u201cbacked by science.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTo be clear, the evidence on autism being related to acetaminophen exposure during pregnancy is very weak. While early, smaller studies may have suggested there could be a connection, newer and large-scale studies have not found strong evidence to support this link,\u201d Anagnostou said in a statement.<\/p>\n
She said there is no one single cause of autism spectrum disorder and that researchers are studying \u201ca complex interplay\u201d of genetic and environmental factors.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe already know that genes play a role in [at] least 15 to 25 per cent of autistic children and youth,\u201d Anagnostou said.<\/p>\n
With files from The Associated Press and The Canadian Press<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cThere is no conclusive evidence.\u201d That\u2019s the response from Health Canada after U.S. President Donald Trump claimed, without…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":166805,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[49,48,84,377],"class_list":{"0":"post-166804","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-medication","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-medication"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166804","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=166804"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166804\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/166805"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=166804"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=166804"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=166804"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}