Relevance: GS II (Health) & GS III (Science – Evidence-based Medicine) | Source: The Indian Express / The Lancet

1. The Human Context: A Sigh of Relief

For years, expectant mothers have faced a terrifying dilemma: Endure a high fever or take a pill that might harm the baby?

Recent political claims in the US linked Paracetamol to Autism, fueling anxiety. A massive new study in The Lancet has now cleared the air, providing the “most rigorous proof” yet that the drug is safe for neurodevelopment.

2. The Science: “Nature’s Control Group”

How can we be sure? Scientists used a brilliant “Sibling Comparison” method.

• The Logic: They compared siblings from the same mother—where one was exposed to Paracetamol in the womb and the other wasn’t.
• The Result: Since siblings share genetics and home life, the study isolated the drug’s impact. It found no difference in Autism or ADHD rates between them.
• The Takeaway: Any issues were likely due to genetics or the mother’s illness (fever/infection), not the pill.

3. The Medical Verdict

• Don’t Suffer: Paracetamol remains the first-line defense.
• The Real Danger: Doctors warn that avoiding the drug is riskier. Untreated high fever in a mother is a known, proven threat to a fetus’s brain development.

UPSC Value Box

Q. With reference to public health and common pharmaceuticals, consider the following statements:

1. Paracetamol is primarily an anti-inflammatory drug belonging to the NSAID (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug) class.
2. Recent large-scale “sibling comparison” studies indicate that paracetamol use during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of Autism in children.
3. Untreated high fever in pregnant women is considered a greater risk to fetal development than the controlled use of antipyretics.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 2 and 3 only

Correct Answer: (c)