UK Health Secretary dismisses Donald Trump’s claims linking paracetamol use in pregnancy to autism

UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting appearing on Tuesday morning (23 September 2025) on ITV’s Lorraine

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has urged the public to “trust doctors over President Trump” after the former US President claimed there was a link between paracetamol use in pregnancy and autism.

Speaking on ITV’s Lorraine this morning, Mr Streeting was asked about concerns raised by viewers following Donald Trump’s remarks.

Presenter Lorraine Kelly highlighted the growing alarm among expectant mothers, saying:

“There’s been an awful lot of concern over remarks that Donald Trump made about the link between pregnant women taking paracetamol. We’ve had so many calls from people, they’re frightened, they’re scared. Pregnant women are saying ‘what’s going to happen?’ – they’re worried, what’s the NHS advice?”

Responding directly, the Health Secretary stressed that there was no scientific basis to the former President’s claim.

“I’ve just got to be really clear about this, there is no evidence to link the use of paracetamol by pregnant women to autism in their children, none. In fact, a major study was done back in 2024 in Sweden involving 2.4 million children and it did not uphold those claims.”

Mr Streeting urged the public to put their faith in medical professionals rather than political figures.

“I would just say to people watching, don’t pay any attention whatsoever to what Donald Trump says about medicine. In fact, don’t even take my word for it as a politician, listen to British doctors, British scientists and the NHS.

“It’s really important that at a time when there is scepticism, and I don’t think scepticism and questions in itself is a bad thing. By all means, ask questions but we’ve got to follow medical science. We’ve got to follow the evidence, and I think it’s so important that people do that.”

The Health Secretary went on to warn about the dangers of misinformation, particularly when it undermines vaccination uptake.

“Especially, at a time when you’ve got kids in this country now dying of measles, whooping cough. Kids not taking the RSV vaccine when those respiratory diseases can be life threatening.

“I’d just say to people watching, trust your doctor, trust medical science, and when making decisions about your own family or your own care, just ask yourself, would you really want to see someone you love dying with measles, whooping cough.

“These are things I thought we had consigned to the history books and science can consign it to the history books if we trust medical science and I trust doctors over President Trump being frankly honest.”

The interview comes amid growing concern about the spread of health misinformation on social media, with medical leaders repeatedly stressing that paracetamol remains safe for use during pregnancy when taken in recommended doses.

Watch Lorraine weekdays from 9am on ITV1, ITVX, STV & STV Player.