He wouldn't condemn Trump's anti-science comments
Nigel Farage has refused to condemn comments made by Donald Trump which link the use of paracetamol in pregnancy to autism cases.
On Monday, the US president suggested that the use of Tylenol, an American-branded version of paracetamol, during pregnancy is a potential cause of the “meteoric rise” in autism cases. He has also made similar claims that vaccines cause autism.
Officials have been correcting Trump’s claims, including Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who said: “I trust doctors over President Trump, frankly, on this”.
Meanwhile, the Reform leader indicated Trump’s anti-science comments could have some truth to them.
Asked if Trump’s comments were ‘right’ in an interview on LBC, Farage said: “I’ve no idea. You know we were told thalidomide was a safe drug and it wasn’t.”
“Who knows? Nick, I don’t know. You don’t know”, Farage added.
Yet, yesterday on LBC, Reform’s chair David Bull categorically ruled out any link.
Bull said: “Obviously, there is no link between paracetamol and autism, full stop.”
Dr Steven Fleischman, President of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said the Tylenol claim “is not backed by the full body of scientific evidence and dangerously simplifies the many and complex causes of neurologic challenges in children”.
Instead of highlighting what actual science says, Farage said: “I wouldn’t follow what Mr Kennedy’s department does. I’ve listened to what they’ve said, but I wouldn’t follow it.”
Farage then went on to say: “Frankly, nor would I follow the World Health Organisation.”
Last year, Farage started to bash UN agency, the World Health Organisation. His swipe at the WHO today went completely unchecked by the LBC’s Nick Ferrari.
The Good Law Project and the Guardian revealed that Action on World Health, which Farage is the chair and a co-founder of, has links to nicotine product lobbyists, including its other co-founder David Roach.
Farage then defended Trump’s comments, saying: “He has a particular thing about autism, I think because there has been some in his family and he feels it very personally. I have no idea.”
Ferrari then asked if Farage wouldn’t side with the scientific experts who would say it’s dangerous to make these comments linking paracetamol and autism.
“When it comes to science, I don’t side with anybody,” Farage said.
In short, Farage’s remarks suggest he doesn’t back scientific evidence. At the party’s conference earlier this month, Reform’s health advisor Dr Aseem Malhotra said the covid vaccine gave the Royal Family cancer.
A YouGov poll from March found that 50% of those who voted Reform at the 2024 election say they have little to no trust in the covid vaccine.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
Left Foot Forward doesn't have the backing of big business or billionaires. We rely on the kind and generous support of ordinary people like you.
You can support hard-hitting journalism that holds the right to account, provides a forum for debate among progressives, and covers the stories the rest of the media ignore. Donate today.