By 9News,Maddison Leach
Copyright 9news
US President Donald Trump has suggested that the use of a common painkiller during pregnancy “can be associated with a very increased risk of autism”.
Trump said that women should not take acetaminophen, known by the brand name Tylenol in the US or as paracetemol in Australia, “during the entire pregnancy”.
He claimed that he and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr understood ”a lot more than a lot of people who studied” autism.
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Here in Australia the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), which regulates the safety of medicines, said there are no “current active safety investigations” into any links between paracetamol and autism.
Nor have any changes been made to the rules or advice around paracetamol use in Australia in response to Trump’s claims.
“Paracetamol remains Pregnancy Category A in Australia, meaning that it is considered safe for use in pregnancy,” a spokesperson for the TGA told 9news.com.au.
“The TGA has no current active safety investigations for paracetamol and autism, or paracetamol and neurodevelopmental disorders more broadly.”
They explained that the use of any medication during pregnancy is subject to strict clinical, scientific and toxicological testing to ensure its safety when being registered in Australia.
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“The TGA maintains robust post-market safety surveillance and pharmacovigilance processes for all medicines registered in Australia, including paracetamol,” the spokesperson said.
“This includes detailed analysis of adverse event reports made by medicine consumers, clinicians and pharmaceutical companies, review of published medical literature, and close liaison with international medicines regulators.”
When safety concerns are raised about a medication, they are subject to detailed clinical and scientific investigation to confirm the concerns are legitimate.
If a safety issue does exist, the TGA will take appropriate regulatory actions to mitigate the risk.
Aussies concerned about paracetamol use during pregnancy are encouraged to consult their treating healthcare professionals for “clinical advice tailored to their specific circumstances”.
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The current TGA guidelines for paracetamol use recommend adults and children 12 years or older take 500 to 1000mg every four to six hours as necessary.
The maximum adult dose is 4000mg in any 24-hour period.
The optimal dose for younger children 15 mg per kg, which can be given every four to six hours as required.
Children should have no more than four doses in 24 hours.
Paracetamol should always be used in accordance with the directions on the label and individuals should not take more than one medication containing paracetamol at the same time.
Overdosing on paracetamol can cause liver damage and, in severe cases, death.
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