In a White House briefing on Monday, President Donald Trump made an announcement warning against Tylenol use during pregnancy, suggesting it can cause autism in children. The claim has received enormous pushback from medical experts, who overwhelmingly say it’s not backed up by scientific evidence. Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, is one of the few over-the-counter drugs for pain and fever relief recommended for use during pregnancy and is especially crucial considering untreated fevers can cause pregnancy complications.
Also pushing back on Trump’s claims: a number of celebrities, influencers, and public figures who’ve slammed him and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for spreading dangerous misinformation. In an interview with TMZ, Love on the Spectrum star Dani Bowman called Trump’s and Kennedy’s comments about autism “very stigmatizing,” flipping off the camera for emphasis. “They think they’re scientists, but they’re not at all. They just come up with anything out of their behind,” Bowman said. James B. Jones, who also appeared on Love on the Spectrum, posted an Instagram video urging people to “stop the spread of misinformation” and emphasized that evidence shows Tylenol is “quite safe” during pregnancy. The perceived rise in autism, Jones said, is more likely due to doctors becoming more adept at diagnosing it and increased acceptance allowing people to feel more open in sharing that they have autism. “For any women out there who are contemplating having children, please do not worry how your intake of these medications could affect your children,” Jones said.
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Meanwhile, Mia Khalifa also slammed Trump’s announcement. In a post on X, Khalifa pointed out that Tylenol “is one of the only approved pain relievers for pregnant women to take for back pain, cramps, headache, etc.” “This lie citing it as the cause of autism is nothing more than yet another attack on women’s reproductive health and safety,” she wrote. In a two-second video posted shortly after, Khalifa shook her head, making clear where she stands on the matter.
Vanderpump Rules and The Valley star Brittany Cartwright — who shared in April that her 3-year-old son had been diagnosed with nonverbal autism — hit back against the claim in a comment on an Instagram video of Trump’s announcement. “I am thankful autism is being looked into and hopefully someday we can learn more, but our children are wonderful and deserve better than misinformation by our own government,” she wrote.
Actor Holly Robinson Peete, who also has a son with autism, wasn’t happy about the briefing either. “Don’t be distracted by all of these causation theories and breaking news shiny press conferences,” she wrote on Instagram. “Let’s all focus on getting the services to families that are desperate for them.”
