New Delhi, Sept. 24 -- US President Donald Trump wants to curb rising autism diagnoses, and has turned his sights on a popular over-the-counter (OTC) painkiller-Tylenol. On 22 September, Trump, alongside US Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, announced "bold new actions to confront the nation's autism spectrum disorder (ASD) epidemic".

The administration has linked the use of Tylenol by pregnant women to an increased risk of autism in children, leading to widespread alarm and criticism globally. Medical and public health bodies have swiftly put out statements refuting the "unfounded" claims.

Tylenol is the brand name for acetaminophen or paracetamol. It is a non-opioid analgesic used to treat pain and fever, ...