Why are there reports linking paracetamol and autism in the news again?<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, the British Medical Journal (BMJ) published an in-depth evidence review aimed at discovering if there was any link between taking paracetamol during pregnancy<\/a> with autism<\/a> and ADHD<\/a> in children. It concluded that existing evidence does not clearly establish a link between the two.<\/p>\n But I thought some previous studies had identified a connection?<\/p>\n One of the biggest takeaways from the BMJ evidence review was that confidence on studies on this topic \u201cis low to critically low\u201d. <\/p>\n The researchers suggest that any apparent effect seen in previous studies may be driven by shared genetic and environmental factors within families.<\/p>\n They added that regulatory bodies, clinicians, pregnant women, parents, and autistic people and those with ADHD should be informed about the poor quality of the existing reviews and women should be advised to take paracetamol when needed to treat pain and fever in pregnancy.<\/p>\n Why did the journal feel the need to issue such a statement?<\/p>\n The in-depth review was in direct response to recent statements, most notably by US president Donald Trump, linking rising autism diagnoses to use of paracetamol<\/a> \u2013 which is known by the brand name Tylenol in the US \u2013 during pregnancy.<\/p>\n \u201cTaking Tylenol is not good. It\u2019s not good. Don\u2019t take Tylenol. Fight like hell not to take it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n So this research disputes this? Has anybody else disagreed with his statement?<\/p>\n There was widespread condemnation of the suggestion of a causative link between the two when Trump first made the remarks.<\/p>\n