Did Tylenol's X account advise against using its products while pregnant? Drug company's 2017 tweet goes viral amid autism debate

Tylenol, a medicine brand, has been in the headlines lately after President Donald Trump made some remarks about the same in a White House briefing. For the unversed, the main ingredient of this medicine is paracetamol, which is particularly used to treat allergies, cold, headaches, etc.

The US President blamed the medicine for rising cases of autism in children across the country. During the White House briefing on Monday, September 22, he said,

"Don't take Tylenol if you're pregnant, and don't give Tylenol to your child... Fight like hell not to take it."

According to NPR, Donald Trump repeated this warning multiple times. The US President and many deputies further stated that the FDA would soon update the labelling to discourage pregnant women from consuming acetaminophen, which is reportedly an active ingredient in Tylenol. They claimed that there was a direct link between acetaminophen and autism.

Meanwhile, netizens dug out a tweet made by the company back in March 2017, where they clearly wrote that their products were not recommended to pregnant women. The tweet read,

"We actually don't recommend using any of our products while pregnant. Thank you for taking the time to voice your concerns today."

Several other tweets by the brand itself were shared, in which they suggested that the user should consult their doctors before consuming the medication. During the conference, officials also cited a study done by Harvard University. The study reportedly revealed that pregnant women who consumed acetaminophen were more likely to have children diagnosed with autism.

One of the researchers of the study, Ann Bauer, believed that expecting others to know about the risks surrounding acetaminophen. Baire further added that researchers would still want to get their hands on some more solid evidence before involving the federal government in trying to offer guidance on the usage of the medication. 

Tylenol-maker Kenvue reacted to the claims made by Donald Trump regarding the medicine being linked to autism

Tylenol-maker Kenvue did not agree to the statements and remarks given by President Trump on Monday. They ended up stating NPR, suggesting the same. The statement added that there had been no evidence proving that the medicine could be directly linked to causing autism in kids whose mother had consumed it during pregnancy.

The statement further read,

"We strongly disagree with any suggestion otherwise and are deeply concerned about the health risks and confusion this poses for expecting mothers and parents."

The stance by the Trump administration was criticised by several physicians as well as autism advocacy groups. Steven J. Fleischman, M.D., president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said that it was "highly unsettling" that the administration was trying to decide without using any reliable data as evidence.

NPR reports added that the notice about acetaminophen by the FDA was not totally conclusive. It was revealed that while many studies suggested a link between the painkiller and autism, other studies claimed otherwise.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump wasn't the only one making claims against Tylenol. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also chimed in. According to Kennedy, the decision on acetaminophen was reportedly based on "clinical and laboratory studies."