By Kyle Arjoonsingh

During a recent White House press conference, alongside the Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump explicitly told Americans, “Don’t take Tylenol.” 

The president, along with members of the FDA, announced their plans to update drug labels to warn against using acetaminophen, the generic name for Tylenol, during pregnancy implying causation between the medication and autism. But when medical advice starts coming from such a controversial political figure, should anyone be surprised when confusion spreads faster than the facts?

Like many health rumors, this one did not appear out of thin air. A 2024 study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association found small associations between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and children’s risk of autism and ADHD. However, a correlation does not mean there is causation. Yes, those studies found associations, but they never proved a direct link. 

The truth is that acetaminophen remains one of the safer pain relievers available during pregnancy when used properly, especially when compared to alternatives like ibuprofen, more commonly known as Advil or Motrin. According to licensed Brooklyn, New York pharmacist Mona Saint-Phard, “We’re told all the time not to give pregnant or nursing moms ibuprofen. It can affect the baby’s heart and kidney development.” She added, “That’s why acetaminophen, when used correctly, is still the go-to.”

While Tylenol may be at the center of the current debate, the underlying issue at hand is the spread of misinformation. Adelphi University senior and psychology major Jocelyn Herrera said, “It’s about how quickly people start doubting something they have trusted their whole lives once it’s framed as something we never thought to question before,”

Public trust in medicine is already fragile. Add in a viral soundbite from the most influential man in America, and suddenly medical professionals become the ones forced to answer questions about  his dubious claims about Tylenol .

“Every medication has side effects,” pharmacist Saint-Phard said. “There’s no FDA-approved drug that doesn’t. Every single drug, even Tylenol, has a side effect. But, there’s a difference between understanding the risk and scaring people,” she added.

While it’s funny to laugh at Trump’s inability to pronounce “acetaminophen,” there’s nothing funny about misinformation that targets expecting mothers. When so-called facts are not substantiated in the context of health, the people who suffer most are the patients. “We joke about it online because it feels harmless,” said Herrera. “But people actually make health decisions [based] on what they see in those clips.”

We can laugh at the ignorance, sure. However, it is important to understand the necessity of credible voices in public health. Let’s face it, science doesn’t trend on social media the way outrage does. When it comes to our health, it’s the experts we should be listening to.