Sky News Daily Paracetamol, President Trump and the myths about autism
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Sep 23, 2025 Tom Clarke, Sky News science editor, clarifies the lack of evidence linking paracetamol and autism, debunking dangerous claims made by Donald Trump. Jessie Hewitson, an autistic mother and author, shares her insights on neurodiversity, advocating against viewing autism as a condition needing a cure. The discussion touches on the harmful echoes of vaccine misinformation, the history of mother-blaming in autism, and provides practical advice for parents navigating a new diagnosis. Their conversation emphasizes understanding and supporting autistic individuals.
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No Proven Causal Link
- Large, high-quality studies show no conclusive causal link between paracetamol in pregnancy and autism.
- Tom Clarke highlights a Swedish study of 2.5 million mothers that found no dose-response or sibling effect.
Correlation Versus Causation Clarified
- Correlation does not equal causation and confounders can explain apparent links.
- Tom Clarke explains sibling comparisons and dose-response absent in best data undermine a causal claim.
Why Diagnosis Rates Rose
- Rising autism diagnoses are better explained by older maternal age and changing diagnostic criteria.
- Tom Clarke points to DSM expansions and epidemiology as plausible drivers of higher prevalence.
