By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

LOCAL doctors say there is no evidence that Tylenol use in pregnancy causes autism and warn against panic over reports suggesting otherwise.

Their comments follow international headlines after the Trump administration cited a recent review on the issue. The White House fact sheet pointed to studies from Johns Hopkins University and Mount Sinai suggesting an association between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and neurodevelopmental disorders.

In the review, published in Environmental Health in August by Harvard University’s Chan School of Public Health, Dean Andrea Baccarelli and others analysed 46 previous studies. It reported a possible association between acetaminophen use in pregnancy and conditions such as autism and ADHD, while advising pregnant women to use the medication only at the lowest effective dose, for the shortest time, and under medical supervision. The researchers also emphasised the importance of the drug in treating pain and fever, which, if left untreated, can increase risks such as neural tube defects and preterm birth.

Consultant Physicians Staff Association president and paediatrician Dr Charelle Lockhart questioned the weight being given to the study, noting she had not reviewed it directly. She stressed that association does not equal causation and said major medical organisations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, have rejected claims that Tylenol causes autism.

Dr Lockhart criticised how the findings were publicised. She said the media behind US President Donald Trump and US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F Kennedy Jr were “reckless” in highlighting a study without rigorous vetting or consultation with groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“I’m definitely concerned about that, because when it comes to the lay person, autism unfortunately gives you that feeling of grief,” she said. “Nobody wants to take any kind of risk that their child might be autistic and so any little inkling that they see on the news or that they see publicised they’re going to put some credit in, which is very unfortunate, which is why scientists, physicians, and people who are big public figures have to be very careful when they make these kinds of statements, because at the end of the day, you’re going to cause more harm than good if there’s no good science behind what you’re saying.”

She urged the Ministry of Health and Wellness and local medical associations to release guidance to help the public separate fact from misinformation.

“The conversation is frustrating on our part, because here we are trying to use evidence-based medicine to treat our patients, then you have these misleading and false things coming out in the media and all of that hype around something that’s very distressing for parents and they’re being led in a completely wrong direction,” she said.

Medical Association of The Bahamas president Dr Nikechia Hall-Dennis agreed there is no proven link between acetaminophen and autism. She said the drug has been used safely for decades, though she acknowledged the study could spark concern as it circulates on social media.

“Anytime when something is very popular on social media, and the public does consume a lot of information on social media there is always a possible for people to get wrong information and get information that could possibly be harmful, especially when it’s a medical thing,” she said.

“But it would be really important for people, especially pregnant women, to have good conversations with their healthcare providers and sit down and get good, true information, especially in regards to them, to make sure that they make the best decision possible.”

Former Health Minister Dr Duane Sands also cautioned against overreaction, stressing that while overdoses can cause severe liver failure and allergic reactions are possible, acetaminophen remains safe when taken as directed.

“They did not say causation or causality. There may be an association. They suggested further rigorous studies be done, and that is the way that we advance. To say that there may be a relationship doesn’t mean that there is and to say that there may be an association doesn’t mean that A causes B,” Dr Sands said.

“It’s very important for people to understand the limitations of the study or studies that are done and not extrapolate on the basis of how the study has been presented. The findings of the study are restricted to the findings of the study, full stop.”

The Public Hospitals Authority said it has received no official notification, directive, or recall regarding acetaminophen and is monitoring the situation in coordination with the Ministry of Health. It reminded pregnant women to consult their doctors on any use of pain medication.

Acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol, is one of the most widely used over-the-counter pain relievers and fever reducers, sold under brand names such as Panadol and Tylenol.