Former President Barack Obama told a crowd at an event in London on Sept. 24 that the Trump administration’s announcement linking autism with Tylenol use amounted to “violence against the truth.”

“We have the spectacle of my successor, in the Oval Office, making broad claims around certain drugs and autism that have been continuously disproved,” Obama said at the event.

The former president posted a video of his comments on X, telling his followers "The degree to which those comments can undermine public health, do harm to women who are pregnant, create anxiety for parents who do have children who are autistic – is violence against the truth.”

The event was held at London’s O2 arena, hosted by British-Nigerian historian and author, David Olusoga.

President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have promoted an unproven link between the popular painkiller Tylenol and a rise in autism among children. Trump announced in a Sept. 22 news conference that the Food and Drug Administration would soon notify physicians that the use of acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, is associated with an increased risk of autism and that women should avoid taking it during pregnancy.

During the announcement, Trump urged pregnant women not to take Tylenol unless absolutely necessary. He said those who can't "tough it out" without Tylenol should limit their intake.

The announcement and the administration's claims have drawn widespread condemnation from medical experts and researchers. Kenveu, the maker of Tylenol, said in a statement that "acetaminophen does not cause autism."

Decades of research have not yielded firm answers on what contributes to autism, but many scientists believe genetics, potentially in combination with environmental influences, play a role. They also say the rising incidence of autism could be attributed to increased access to diagnostic tools and improvements in early detection.

Contributing: Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY.

Kathryn Palmer is a politics reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kapalmer@usatoday.com and on X @KathrynPlmr.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Obama calls Trump administration's Tylenol, autism statement 'violence against truth'

Reporting by Kathryn Palmer, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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