Does paracetamol cause autism?
Paracetamol is not linked to autism: we explore the evidence.
Published 23 September 2025. Written by Leeds Autism Practice Staff.
The short answer is no. In this article, we will explore the claim that paracetamol is related to autism, look at the evidence, and discuss implications for paracetamol use.
What is the claim?
The United States government has announced that it will issue new guidance to limit the prescribing of paracetamol during pregnancy, citing research that suggests a possible association between the drug and autism.
The announcement was made by President Trump and the Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. Kennedy's appointment to the role was controversial because he had previously promoted debunked theories linking vaccines to autism.
Paracetamol is also known as acetaminophen, and you may see it sold as one of the following brand names:
- Tylenol
- Panadol
- Calpol
What does the evidence say?
A small number of studies have explored possible associations between paracetamol use during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes in children. Some Spanish and Danish cohort studies suggested weak associations, but larger sibling-control studies in Sweden found no evidence of a causal link.
Importantly, any correlation seems to disappear when studies use a sibling-control design. This means studies that looked at children within the same family.
Because autism has genetic and environmental causes, you cannot just look at two different families, one that uses paracetamol and one that does not. That is because any neurodevelopmental conditions could be caused by something else, such as family genetics or social factors.
To understand if the paracetamol is related, you need to look at children who grew up in the same family and in the same environment, and see if there is a difference between a pregnancy where the mother took paracetamol and another pregnancy where she did not. When we do this, we find no correlation.
Correlation does not imply causation
Even if studies were to find a correlation between paracetamol use and autism, that would not mean that the paracetamol causes autism. Correlations can arise for many reasons.
For example, the health issues that lead a parent to take paracetamol during pregnancy, such as fever, infection, or pain, might themselves be linked to differences in child development. It could also be that other genetic or social factors increase the likelihood of both paracetamol use and autism, creating the appearance of a connection where none exists.
Can I safely use paracetamol?
Yes. Including during pregnancy.
Both the NHS and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) say that paracetamol is safe to take during pregnancy.
The MHRA specifically made an announcement, which you can read here, in which Dr Alison Cave, Chief Safety Officer at the MHRA, said:
"Patient safety is our top priority. There is no evidence that taking paracetamol during pregnancy causes autism in children."
Always follow the instructions as given to you by your doctor, or on the patient information leaflet. This article is for information only and is not a substitute for medical advice. The NHS website is the best place to access healthcare information.
Finally, we would like to end on a neuroaffirmative statement. There is no proven link between paracetamol and autism. But we also view autism as a difference, rather than a deficit, and therefore not something that needs to be ‘cured’ or removed from society.
Conclusion
There is currently no proven link between taking paracetamol during pregnancy and autism in children. UK regulators have confirmed paracetamol remains safe to use during pregnancy.
References
Ahlqvist, V. H., Sandin, S., Chang, Z., Larsson, H., Lichtenstein, P., Magnusson, C., ... & D’Onofrio, B. M. (2024). Acetaminophen use during pregnancy and children’s risk of autism, ADHD, and intellectual disability: A population-based sibling control cohort study. JAMA Psychiatry, 81(5), 461–470. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2024.0243
Avella-García, C. B., Julvez, J., Fortuny, J., Rebordosa, C., García-Esteban, R., Galán, I. R., ... & Sunyer, J. (2016). Acetaminophen use in pregnancy and neurodevelopment: Attention function and autism spectrum symptoms. International Journal of Epidemiology, 45(6), 1987–1996. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyw115
Brandlistuen, R. E., Ystrom, E., Nulman, I., Koren, G., Nordeng, H., & Skurtveit, S. (2016). Prenatal paracetamol exposure and child neurodevelopment: A sibling-controlled cohort study. International Journal of Epidemiology, 42(6), 1702–1713. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyt183