The news: Tylenol (acetaminophen/paracetamol) use among pregnant women fell 10% in the months after a White House press conference advised avoiding the drug during pregnancy, according to a study published in The Lancet.

Catch up quick: President Donald Trump, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and other federal health officials suggested in September that the drug could be driving rising autism rates, despite research disproving a link. Trump said that for pregnant women, “taking Tylenol is not good.” Most health experts attribute higher autism rates to improved screening and expanded diagnostic criteria.

Why it matters: High-profile federal warnings and claims from influential voices can quickly shift consumer health behavior—even around long-trusted drugs like acetaminophen—while also fueling confusion.

The decline in acetaminophen use among pregnant women, tracked through emergency room orders, began the day after the news conference and peaked at a 20% drop in the third week, per The Lancet. By December, however, the study found use was returning to normal.

At the same time, consumer belief of the administration’s acetaminophen claims is split. 30% of consumers said it was either “probably true” or “probably false” that taking Tylenol during pregnancy increases autism risk, per a September 2025 KFF survey. Just 4% said it was “definitely true,” while 35% said it was “definitely false.”

Implications for healthcare providers and OTC drug companies: Medical professionals should rely on established science when confronting popular claims unsupported by new evidence.

For healthcare providers, that means addressing confusion quickly and guiding patients to data and research from credible resources. For drug companies, the risk is category-wide: Perception alone can affect brands. Responding quickly matters, but so does grounding communications in scientific evidence and maintaining steady messaging as trust rebuilds.