When Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed that Tylenol (known as paracetamol in Australia) causes autism, they didn’t just spread misinformation, they reignited a dangerous cycle of guilt, shame, and confusion for women, especially pregnant women.
Trump’s comment, “But if you feel like you can tough it out, then do it,” is not just medically irresponsible, it’s a thinly veiled way of telling women that if their child is autistic, it’s their fault for not enduring pain.
Let’s be clear, there is no scientific evidence that paracetamol causes autism. The claim has been repeatedly debunked by researchers and medical bodies worldwide. Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental condition with strong links to genetics. If we’re going to speculate irresponsibly, why not ask whether it is something wrong with a man’s sperm? But of course, the blame always circles back to women.
This rhetoric is not new. It echoes the age-old policing of women’s bodies—do not take painkillers during childbirth, do not opt for a caesarean, do not be “too posh to push.” I’ve heard it all. These narratives shame women for making informed, personal decisions about their health and their pregnancies. Now, we are being told that enduring pain is a virtue, and medicating it is a moral failure.
Trump also said, “There’s no downside to doing this.” But there is. There’s a massive downside. These statements create confusion, fear, and guilt, especially among migrant and culturally diverse women who already face barriers to accessing clear, culturally appropriate health information. Women’s organisations are now scrambling to issue statements to reassure pregnant women, and to reach migrant communities who may not have access to trusted sources or may be navigating language and cultural barriers.
Let’s talk about Cuba, which Trump cited as “proof” that avoiding Tylenol prevents autism. He claimed Cuban women don’t use Tylenol and Cuba does not have an autism problem. That’s not evidence—it’s ignorance. Many Cubans can’t afford paracetamol, and Cuba’s autism screening infrastructure is limited. Autism in Cuba isn’t absent, it is underdiagnosed. This is a global issue in countries with limited healthcare access, autism often goes undetected, not nonexistent.
And what about the myth that autism didn’t exist in the 70s and 80s? I remember girls in my school who were quiet, withdrawn, and socially isolated. We called them “weird.” Today, they would likely be diagnosed on the autism spectrum and receive the support they deserved. Just like breast cancer, autism hasn’t suddenly appeared it’s our understanding, diagnosis, and awareness that have evolved. My grandmother died of breast cancer in a Lebanese village 51 years ago, and her daughter—my aunt—died of the same disease 30 years ago. Today, with better education, screening, and treatment, they might have survived because WE KNOW MORE!
So don’t tell me that a woman’s child is autistic because she took paracetamol. Don’t tell me it is her fault for not “toughing it out.” This kind of rhetoric is not just wrong it is cruel. It undermines science, public health, and the dignity of women everywhere.
We need to focus on scientific evidence, not fear-mongering. We need to invest in early diagnosis, intervention, and support for autistic children and their families. And we need to stop treating autism as a tragedy. There is nothing wrong with children who are autistic. They are beautiful, intelligent, and deserving of love and respect just the way they are.
This kind of misinformation disproportionately harms women who may already be navigating complex healthcare systems, cultural expectations, and language barriers. It fosters doubt in medical advice, erodes trust in healthcare providers, and leaves women questioning their every decision during pregnancy.
We deserve better. We deserve facts, not fear. We deserve support, not shame. And we deserve leaders who respect science and women’s autonomy, not ones who weaponise misinformation to score political points.