Paracetamol and pregnancy: the White House warning is debunked by science.

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The recent warning from the White House regarding the possible link between paracetamol use during pregnancy and an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children—particularly autism and ADHD—has sparked a wave of concern not only in the United States but also in Europe. In an official statement, the Trump Administration cited a series of observational studies and epidemiological reviews to announce future restrictive guidelines on the use of acetaminophen (the American acetaminophen) during pregnancy, particularly in the later stages of gestation.

However, behind this initiative, more media-driven than scientific, emerge all the critical issues of an approach that risks bypassing the methodological prudence of research. Studies like the Nurses' Health Study II or the Boston Birth Cohort only highlight statistical associations, not causality. This is being stated not only by the international scientific community, but also by the US regulatory body, the FDA , which, while initiating a labeling review and informing physicians of potential risks, emphasizes that current evidence is insufficient to draw definitive conclusions. The positions of the EMA and the MHRA, which represent the regulatory framework for millions of European and British citizens, are much more solid and reassuring. Both confirm the absence of evidence indicating an increased risk of autism or other neurological disorders linked to the use of paracetamol during pregnancy. On the contrary, they reiterate that the drug, when used as directed (at the lowest effective dose, for the shortest possible time), remains the preferred choice for treating fever and pain during pregnancy.

It is in this scenario that the politicization of science proves dangerous. Raising alarms based on still-controversial data risks pushing women to avoid a safe drug, exposing them instead to the risks associated with untreated fever or pain, which are well-documented as harmful to the fetus. Public health is protected through balance, not proclamations. And trust is built through transparency, not ideological shortcuts.

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