U.S. President Donald Trump’s assertion that taking paracetamol during pregnancy is linked to autism in kids has been debunked by a large evidence review. Researchers say the new study published Saturday should put women at ease should they need to use these painkillers. Last year, Trump warned pregnant women against using Tylenol — a U.S. brand name for paracetamol — during pregnancy, arguing that its use “can be associated with a very increased risk of autism.” The position was driven by Republicans pushing the MAHA — Make America Healthy Again — movement led by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. But it has split politicians and health experts on both sides of the Atlantic and confused citizens. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ordered a new safety warning be added to Tylenol leaflets, the European Medicines Agency said at the time there was no evidence of a link between paracetamol use in pregnancy and autism. Medical professionals raised concerns that pregnant women would have no treatment for fever or pain, and may be vilified for the rise in autism in recent decades. Now, a large review of 43 studies, published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Women’s Health, found there is no evidence of a link — contradicting the U.S. studies used to recommend against its use in the U.S. “We found no clinically important increase in the risk of autism, [attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)] or intellectual disability of the children where the mothers took paracetamol during pregnancy,” said Asma Khalil, a consultant obstetrician and fetal medicine specialist at St George’s Hospital in London, who led the study. “The important message to the millions of pregnant individuals is the fact that actually paracetamol is safe to use in pregnancy,” she added. “It remains to be the first line of treatment that we would recommend if the pregnant woman has pain or fever in pregnancy.” While previous studies did suggest small associations between paracetamol in pregnancy and increased risks of autism and ADHD, the Lancet researchers said these were often based on studies prone to biases. In particular, the U.S. administration cited a study published last summer which found a link between paracetamol during pregnancy and increased incidence of neuro-developmental disorders (NDDs). But in this review “there are several studies [which] suffer or are vulnerable to bias,” Khalil said. “The potential implications of not accounting for these confounders is that you draw their own conclusions.” The Lancet’s evidence review instead focused on studies with the most rigorous research methods, such as those at low risk of bias, those with sibling comparisons and with at least five years of follow up — and found no link. In particular, sibling-comparison studies allow researchers to compare children born to the same mother, who only took paracetamol during one of the pregnancies. They take into account shared genetic factors, shared family and long-term parental characteristics. “Our findings suggest that previously reported links are likely to be explained by genetic predisposition or other maternal factors such as fever or underlying pain, rather than a direct effect of the paracetamol itself,” Khalil said. Public health experts, the EMA and the European Commission, pushed back against Trump’s position last year, arguing there was no evidence to support it. “While the impact of last year’s announcement has been extensive, I hope the findings of this study bring the matter to a close,” Grainne McAlonan, professor of translational neuroscience at King’s College London, said.  “Expectant mothers do not need the stress of questioning whether medicine most commonly used for a headache could have far reaching effects on their child’s health,” McAlonan said.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. came within hours of publicly promoting Denmark’s childhood vaccine schedule as an option for American parents — before legal and political concerns got in the way. A senior HHS official told POLITICO that a press conference set for Friday was canceled at the last minute after the HHS Office of the General Counsel said it would invite a lawsuit the administration could lose. A second senior official at the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed the press conference, which HHS had publicly announced, was to be about the Danish schedule. The second official said it was canceled because it was deemed politically risky. Billed as an “announcement regarding children’s health,” Kennedy was to appear alongside his top agency heads and Tracy Beth Høeg, the Food and Drug Administration’s top drug regulator. Høeg touted the Danish schedule at a vaccine advisory committee meeting earlier this month. HHS canceled the event Thursday evening, hours after announcing it. Andrew Nixon, an HHS spokesperson, called accounts of the cancellation that didn’t come directly from the department “pure speculation” in a statement. HHS officials skeptical of moving to the Danish schedule, which recommends immunization for only 10 of the 17 diseases on the U.S. list, were relieved it was never publicly recommended, the first official said. The internal confusion and disagreement follow similar management bungling within HHS’ Food and Drug Administration that has frustrated the White House. On Dec. 5, President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum titled “Aligning United States Core Childhood Vaccine Recommendations with Best Practices from Peer, Developed Countries.” The memorandum directed HHS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one of its subagencies that sets the vaccine schedule, to review peer-country best practices for vaccines recommended for all children and, if those practices were judged superior, to update the U.S. schedule while preserving access to vaccines already available. In the memorandum, Trump mentioned Denmark, Japan and Germany as examples of countries that recommend fewer shots than the U.S. According to the first official, Kennedy and his top aide, Stefanie Spear, helped sell the peer-country framing to West Wing officials as the clearest way to turn internal vaccine skepticism into a signed White House directive. Spear is Kennedy’s principal deputy chief of staff and senior counselor. Kennedy is a longtime vaccine skeptic who believes the U.S. schedule has grown too quickly, has not been tested in its entirety for adverse effects, and is a likely cause of rising autism rates. Numerous studies have not found a link between vaccines and the neurological disorder that now affects one in 31 U.S. children, up from one in 150 two decades ago. Experts in the condition, which affects the ability to communicate, say expanded diagnostic criteria and awareness are responsible for most of that rise. The condition’s cause is usually genetic, they believe, but researchers are studying possible environmental causes. HHS has made it a priority to learn more about what causes autism and why diagnoses are rising. The department’s research arm, the National Institutes of Health, announced an Autism Data Science Initiative on May 27 and has awarded around $50 million to fund 13 projects investigating potential causes. In April, Kennedy promised to reveal autism’s cause in September, but HHS later said it would reveal preliminary findings early next year. Autism researchers, who have studied the condition for years, have called that unrealistic. The first indication Kennedy might be considering the slimmer Danish schedule, which excludes vaccines for chickenpox, the flu, hepatitis A and B, meningitis, respiratory syncytial virus and rotavirus, came earlier this month during the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meeting in Atlanta. Høeg presented a slide deck titled “U.S. vs. Danish Vaccine Schedule,” which the CDC posted among the meeting presentations. The department then circulated Høeg’s presentation to top officials at HHS, the first senior official said. In the ensuing debate, Høeg’s supporters proposed offering the Danish schedule as a government-recommended alternative to the U.S. one. The first senior official and two others inside HHS familiar with internal discussions, all of whom were granted anonymity to reveal deliberations they were not authorized to discuss publicly, said proponents of the Danish schedule felt that offering it would help restore trust in vaccines; many Americans were turned off by Covid-era vaccine mandates and claims that Covid shots would halt transmission that turned out to be incorrect, they argued. The three officials said the view of proponents inside the administration was that the Danish schedule could be pitched as a “reset” that might convince hesitant parents to vaccinate their kids. Critics inside the administration, the officials said, argued the plan to recommend the Danish schedule was not rigorous and science-based — and that promoting it publicly would invite criticism. Rather than restoring trust, they said it could undermine it by signaling doubt about the need for, and safety of, routine immunization. Going forward without laying the scientific groundwork or going through normal regulatory processes could also make the department vulnerable to lawsuits, the HHS general counsel’s office argued, according to the first senior official. Mike Stuart, who was a U.S. attorney in West Virginia in Trump’s first term, now is HHS general counsel. The American Academy of Pediatrics, which represents doctors who care for children, along with other physician and public health groups, has already sued HHS for changes it made earlier this year to Covid vaccine recommendations, saying the department violated rules governing how regulatory changes are made. That case is pending in federal district court in Boston. HHS has stopped recommending Covid boosters for previously vaccinated people under 65 who are not at high risk of the disease. Instead, the department says Americans should talk to their doctor and make a shared decision. Carmen Paun contributed to this story. Tim Röhn is senior editor of the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network.

LONDON — Milkshakes and lattes will be subject to a sugar tax for the first time, U.K. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said Tuesday. Speaking ahead of the budget, Streeting said the government would remove the exemption that milk-based products currently have from the Soft Drinks Industry Levy in January 2028. The threshold at which the levy is imposed will also be lowered from 5 grams to 4.5 grams (g) per 100 milliliters (ml). Commonly dubbed the “sugar tax,” the levy, which was introduced in 2018 under the previous Conservative government, aims to reduce obesity and improve child health.  “Obesity robs children of the best possible start in life,” Streeting told MPs Tuesday. “It hits the poorest hardest — sets them up for a lifetime of problems.” Bottles and cartons of milkshakes, flavored milk,  sweetened yoghurt drinks, chocolate milk drinks, ready-to-drink coffees and milk substitute drinks will now be eligible for the levy. Drinks prepared in cafes and bars remain out of scope. The levy requires companies producing drinks that contain between 5g and 8g of sugar per 100ml to pay 19.4 pence per liter while drinks with 8g or more of sugar must pay 25.9 pence per liter. A government document published Tuesday said ministers expect the Treasury to raise between £40 million and £45 million a year as a result of the changes. The average sugar content in drinks has fallen by almost 50 percent since the levy’s introduction. It is associated with a fall in rotten tooth extractions in kids and an estimated 8 percent relative reduction in obesity levels among young girls. Sarah Woolnough, chief executive of the King’s Fund health think tank, said the measure was “not only common sense but also a quick win for government and, most importantly, for children and young people.”

KYIV — Russian forces struck a kindergarten in Kharkiv with killer drones on Wednesday morning, according to top Ukrainian officials. “There was a direct hit on a private kindergarten in the Kholodnoyarkiy district of Kharkiv. A fire started,” Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said in a statement. Officials added later that one person, an adult male, had died in the kindergarten strike, and all 48 children were distressed — though none were wounded — and had been evacuated from the site. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said seven people were injured in the nursery strike, which triggered a fresh wave of fury at Moscow. “They are receiving medical care. All children have been evacuated and are in shelters. According to preliminary information, many have an acute stress reaction,” Zelenskyy said on social media. “There is and cannot be any justification for a drone strike on a kindergarten. Russia is becoming more impudent. These strikes are Russia’s spit in the face of anyone who insists on a peaceful solution. Bandits and terrorists can only be put in their place by force,” Zelenskyy said. The Russian defense ministry has not yet issued a statements about strikes on Kharkiv.

Mortality rates for young adults have increased in Eastern Europe over the past decade, despite global death rates falling. Drug-use, suicide and war are among the causes of death that are rising in Eastern Europe, while earthquakes and climate-related disasters have also pushed up death rates in the region. The Global Burden of Disease report — published in The Lancet on Sunday and presented at the World Health Summit in Berlin — analyzed data from more than 200 countries and territories to estimate the leading causes of illness, mortality and early death worldwide from 1990 to 2023. Between 2000 and 2023, there was a notable rise in deaths among younger adults in Eastern Europe caused by HIV, self-harm and personal violence. In Central Europe, deaths from mental disorders and eating disorders have also risen sharply among teens over the decade. This reflects a global trend — a rise in mental health disorders, with worldwide rates of anxiety increasing by 63 percent and of depression by 26 percent. “The rise of depression and anxiety is very concerning,” coauthor Chris Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, told POLITICO. “We hear a lot of debate as to what the root causes are … but we certainly need to pay attention to try to figure out what’s driving the rise. “ The report shows some overall positive trends: Global mortality rates dropped by 67 percent between 1950 and 2023 and global life expectancy in 2023 was more than 20 years higher compared to 1950. But despite the improvements, the study also highlights “an emerging crisis” of higher death rates in teenagers and young adults in certain regions. In North America and Latin America, for example, deaths among young people increased significantly from 2011 to 2023, mainly due to suicide, drug overdose and high consumption of alcohol. In sub-Saharan Africa, they increased due to infectious diseases and unintentional injuries. In Eastern Europe, the largest increases in mortality were among those aged 15-19 year and 20-24 years, with rates increasing by 54 percent and 40 percent, respectively, between 2011 and 2023. The report also tracks leading causes of mortality worldwide. It found that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) now account for nearly two-thirds of the world’s total mortality and morbidity, led by ischemic heart disease, stroke and diabetes. In particular, in lower-middle and upper-middle income countries there is a “very rapid transition towards non-communicable diseases,” said Murray, driven by factors such as an aging population, slow or no progress on tobacco and air pollution, and rising levels of obesity. In Central Europe and North America, these chronic diseases were primarily driven by an increase in drug use disorders, according to the report. Diabetes and kidney disease also largely contributed to the increase in Central Europe, along with several other regions. “Addressing these trends requires targeted public health interventions, improved health-care access, and socioeconomic policies to mitigate the underlying risk factors,” the report authors urge. The researchers estimate that half of all deaths and disability could be prevented by tackling high levels of blood sugar, overweight and obesity, for example.    The report also points out how conflict has “begun to shift from north Africa and the Middle East to central Europe, eastern Europe, and central Asia,” in recent years due to Russia’s war in Ukraine. This has led to a rise in injury-related deaths. Palestine had the highest mortality rate due to conflict and terrorism of any country in the world. While injury-related deaths caused by specific natural disasters, such as the 2023 earthquake in Turkey and the 2022-23 heatwaves in Europe, are also on the rise. “In central and eastern Europe, heatwaves have been occurring more frequently over the past decade,” the authors said.

The Danish government wants to introduce a ban on several social media platforms for children under the age of 15, as Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced Tuesday. “Mobile phones and social media are stealing our children’s childhood,” she said in her opening speech to the Danish parliament, the Folketing. “We have unleashed a monster,” Frederiksen said, noting that almost all Danish seventh graders, where pupils are typically 13 or 14 years old, own a cellphone. “I hope that you here in the chamber will help tighten the law so that we take better care of our children here in Denmark,” she added. However, Frederiksen did not give further details on what such a ban would entail, nor does a bill on an age limit appear in the government’s legislative program for the upcoming parliamentary year. A 2024 Danish citizen’s initiative, which gathered 50,000 signatures, called for a ban on TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram. However, Frederiksen said parents should be able to give permission for accounts to their children from the age of 13. Frederiksen’s announcement did not come as a total surprise. The Social Democrat has previously expressed support for a social media ban for under-15s. The Danish government is also pushing the EU to require tech firms to verify users’ age online.

Sweden’s health minister has urged the EU to push ahead with social media restrictions for kids while insisting it be treated as a pressing matter. “We’re losing an entire generation to endless scrolling and harmful content, and we need to do something about it,” Minister Jakob Forssmed told POLITICO, adding that social media use among youth is the “most pressing health issue there is.” His comments follow those of European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, who said Europe could adopt a similar approach to Australia. The country is set to ban social media for all users under 16. In her State of the Union address in Strasbourg earlier this week, she pledged to commission a panel of experts to study the impact of the Australian measure and provide recommendations on how Europe should proceed. Forssmed said Europe should move quickly, warning: “We don’t have the time. We need to move forward fast.” Sweden has already compiled research that demonstrates the impact on young people, he said, and the results are clear. “This is a risk for mental health issues. We see it not least when it comes to eating disorders and harmful self-image,” he added. Health authorities in Sweden issued guidelines last year, stating that children under the age of two should not be exposed to any screens and teenagers should have no more than three hours of screen time per day. The government also announced an inquiry into social media use and age restrictions. In Denmark, Minister for Digital Affairs Caroline Stage Olsen also said she would support stronger measures from Brussels and would make it one of the “main priorities” for the Danish presidency of the Council of the EU. “I see three steps on the EU level: mandatory legal requirement for age verification, a ban on harmful and addictive practices for minors and stronger enforcement,” she told POLITICO. Denmark has imposed a ban on smartphones in schools since February, following France’s lead in 2018. A similar ban in Belgium came into effect this month. Five EU countries — Denmark, Greece, France, Italy and Spain — are testing a European Commission age verification app, a new system designed to protect children online. Last year, Ireland’s Department of Health established an online health task force to examine the links between specific types of online activity and physical and mental health harms to children and young people.  It’s also developing a strategic public health response to these harms, which it will bring forward in its final report next month.  Von der Leyen suggested she would wait to decide on EU-wide measures until she had received analysis of the Australian policy. It’s unclear how long European experts will have to do that, given that it comes into force in Australia on Dec. 10, and she wants the panel’s recommendations by year’s end.

PARIS — The French government has turned to national regulator Arcom to complain about a TikTok tan lines trend promoting hazardous sun exposure. A growing number of TikTok videos depict young girls giving tips on how to get halterneck tan lines, or “burn lines,” primarily through sun exposure. “These types of content, which are increasingly widespread, encourage dangerous behaviors that could seriously harm users’ health,” Health Minister Yannick Neuder and Digital Minister Clara Chappaz wrote in a letter to the national watchdog on Friday. The two officials called on Arcom — in coordination with the European Commission, which enforces the new content moderation rules for major platforms like TikTok — to ensure social media companies are meeting their obligations under the Digital Services Act. That includes protecting minors, evaluating and mitigating so-called systemic risks and being transparent about how their algorithms work. Paris urged the regulator to “compile a file to send to the appropriate coordinator and, if necessary, to collaborate with the European Commission services as part of a possible investigation.” This isn’t the first time the government has taken action. Back in April, Chappaz successfully called out TikTok over another trend dubbed “SkinnyTok” — an algorithm-driven content stream that promotes extreme thinness and potentially harmful eating habits. The Commission dialed up scrutiny of the platform, which has been under investigation for potential breaches of the DSA. TikTok ultimately banned the SkinnyTok hashtag amid pressure from regulators. Arcom and TikTok didn’t respond to POLITICO’s request for a comment.