The ministry said that paracetamol, which is commonly used to treat pain and fever, is still among the safest medications to be used if taken in low doses for a short period.
“The World Health Organization (WHO) also stressed that from numerous studies done in the past decade, there is no solid scientific evidence that links paracetamol usage during pregnancy to autism in children.
“WHO (also) advises that all pregnant women should always seek advice from their doctors or pharmacists before taking any medication,” it said in a statement today.
The health ministry’s statement comes in response to recent reports suggesting that using Tylenol (paracetamol) during pregnancy and receiving vaccines could cause autism in children, and that folinic acid could treat autism.
While the ministry did not mention the parties that made such claims, US president Donald Trump had recently told pregnant women to avoid taking acetaminophen, which is sold in the US as Tylenol, adding that those who could not “tough it out” should limit their intake.
Regarding folinic acid, the health ministry said that scientific evidence remains limited to small-scale studies on specific groups.
“Massive-scale research is still needed to prove that this medicine can treat autism safely and effectively. (Therefore), it cannot be considered as a standard treatment,” it said.
The ministry also reiterated that vaccines do not cause autism, which is a developmental condition influenced by genetic, biological, and complex environmental factors.
It added that vaccines had saved at least 154 million lives globally in the last five decades, and were now protecting the global community from more than 30 types of infectious diseases.
The ministry urged the public not to be swayed by unverified claims and assured pregnant women experiencing pain or fever that they could safely use paracetamol under medical guidance.
“We are also committed to ensuring that each medication used in Malaysia is safe and effective while strengthening the vaccine safety observation system in line with the latest scientific evidence.”