US President Donald Trump sparked controversy after claiming that hepatitis B is a sexually transmitted disease and suggesting babies should not receive the vaccine until they are 12 years old. Experts quickly corrected him, explaining that hepatitis B can also be transmitted from mother to child at birth, as well as through blood or shared needles. This is why health authorities recommend vaccinating infants shortly after birth to prevent infections.

Trump’s comments were widely criticized, with many pointing out that misinformation like this could put babies at risk. In the UK, the hepatitis B vaccine is included in the 6-in-1 jab given to babies at 8, 12, and 16 weeks of age.

This was Trump’s second controversial health statement of the week. He also claimed that Tylenol (paracetamol) use during pregnancy could cause autism, urging women to “tough it out” instead of taking pain relief, unless absolutely necessary for high fevers.

Medical experts and Tylenol’s manufacturer, Kenvue, refuted Trump’s claims, emphasizing that paracetamol is safe to use during pregnancy when taken as directed. The NHS and other global health organizations continue to recommend it as the first-choice painkiller for pregnant women.