‘There’s no new research’: N.S. doctor pushes back on Trump’s Tylenol claims

Dr. Robyn MacQuarrie discusses U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims about the impact of Tylenol.

Dr. Robyn MacQuarrie, an obstetrician and gynecologist based in Bridgewater, N.S., is pushing back on claims from U.S. President Donald Trump that linked autism with Tylenol.

In an interview with CTV News Atlantic’s Bruce Frisko, MacQuarrie said there have been no new scientific developments to suggest this connection between autism and the use of Tylenol.

“There’s no new research,” MacQuarrie said. “You’d expect there to be some research around it. There’s nothing in the scientific world that has triggered this.”

Following Trump’s claims, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said acetaminophen, which is the main ingredient in Tylenol, is safe for pregnant people to use.

“Suggestions that acetaminophen use in pregnancy causes autism are not only highly concerning to clinicians but also irresponsible when considering the harmful and confusing message they send to pregnant patients, including those who may need to rely on this beneficial medicine during pregnancy,” the statement reads. “In more than two decades of research on the use of acetaminophen in pregnancy, not a single reputable study has successfully concluded that the use of acetaminophen in any trimester of pregnancy causes neurodevelopmental disorders in children.”

The American College noted a 2024 study published in JAMA, a peer-reviewed medical journal, found no association between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism, ADHD or intellectual disability.

MacQuarrie said she tries to steer her patients to reputable sites for their medical information.

“I know my patients are going to be online,” she said. “I try to arm them with good resources. That is how our messages are delivered these days.”

MacQuarrie encourages pregnant patients to take Tylenol if necessary.

“Fever is not something to mess around with during pregnancy,” she said.

-With files from Reuters