By Samuel Clench

Copyright news

President Donald Trump has claimed pregnant women’s use of the common painkiller paracetamol carries a “very increased risk” of autism in children, and told women they “shouldn’t take it”, in an announcement sure to be scrutinised by medical experts.

Mr Trump foreshadowed the announcement during his speech at a memorial for conservative activist Charlie Kirk yesterday.

At the White House, standing next to his Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, Mr Trump said taking paracetamol was “not good”.

“Effective immediately the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) will be notifying doctors that the use of acetominophen, or Tylenol, can be associated with a very increased risk of autism,” Mr Trump said.

“For this reason, they are strongly recommending that women limit Tylenol use during pregnancy unless medically necessary.”

Tylenol is the brand name under which paracetamol is commonly known in the United States.

Mr Trump also slammed the way common vaccines are administered to children.

“They pump so much stuff into those beautiful little babies. It’s a disgrace. It looks like they’re pumping into a horse,” Mr Trump said.

The President said he felt there should be fewer doses of some vaccines, and that fewer of them should be “mixed” together, though he wasn’t very clear on the specifics.

“We want no mercury in the vaccine. We want no aluminum any in the vaccine. The MMR, I think, should be taken separately. This is based on what I feel. Separately. It seems to be that when you mix them, there could be a problem,” the President said.

The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella.

Mr Trump also said babies should not be vaccinated against Hepatitis B, because it’s sexually transmitted. It’s true that Hep B can be transmitted sexually, but it is also possible for it to be spread from a mother to her child during birth, which is why the vaccine is first administered within 24 hours.

Read on for the latest updates.