EU, UK Regulators Reaffirm Safety of Paracetamol in Pregnancy Amid Trump Autism Claims
Mirian Gom 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The European Union and British health regulators have reaffirmed the safety of paracetamol use during pregnancy, dismissing claims by the U.S. President Donald Trump that linked the widely used painkiller to autism.
In a statement on Tuesday, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) confirmed there is no new evidence requiring changes to current recommendations. “Available evidence has found no link between the use of paracetamol during pregnancy and autism,” the agency noted, adding that the drug can be taken when needed, but at the lowest effective dose and frequency.
Britain’s health regulator had earlier issued a similar position, describing paracetamol as safe for expectant mothers.
The World Health Organisation (WHO), while urging caution, said studies suggesting a possible association remain inconclusive and unconfirmed. “This lack of replicability really calls for caution in drawing causal conclusions,” WHO spokesperson Tarik Jašarević told reporters in Geneva. He also reaffirmed that vaccines do not cause autism, stressing their life-saving importance.
Trump’s remarks, made in a rare White House press conference on Monday, linked autism both to paracetamol use during pregnancy and to routine childhood vaccines—positions at odds with established medical evidence and global health consensus.
Medical experts have consistently warned against undermining public trust in vaccines and essential medicines, noting that both remain vital to safeguarding maternal and child health worldwide.
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