By Athena Stavrou

Copyright independent

The UK Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, urged pregnant women to disregard claims by Donald Trump linking paracetamol use in pregnancy to autism.

Mr Streeting emphasised trusting doctors and the NHS over the US president, stating there is no evidence to support such a connection.

He cited a major 2024 Swedish study involving 2.4 million children that found no link between paracetamol and autism.

Scientists globally condemned Donald Trump’s claims as unsubstantiated “fearmongering”, warning it could prevent women from accessing appropriate pain relief and stigmatise families.

While a recent Harvard/Mount Sinai study suggested a potential link between paracetamol exposure and neurodevelopmental disorders, it also highlighted the drug’s importance for treating maternal fever and pain.