Nigel Farage has refused to criticise Donald Trump for claiming pregnant women who take paracetamol risk causing autism in their child – saying “science is never settled”.

The Reform UK leader was asked by Nick Ferrari on LBC whether the US president was right to make the link, which UK health officials have discredited.

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He replied: “I have no idea … you know, we were told thalidomide was a very safe drug and it wasn’t. Who knows, Nick, I don’t know.”

Mr Farage, who is a friend of Mr Trump, said the president has a “particular thing about autism – I think because there’s been some in his family, he feels it very personally”.

Asked if he would side with medical experts who have said there is no evidence for the link, Mr Farage said: “I wouldn’t, when it comes to science, I don’t side with anybody.

“I don’t side with anybody, you know, because, because science is never settled, and we should remember that.”

Pressed again on whether it was irresponsible to make that link as US president, Mr Farage replied: “That’s an opinion he’s got. It’s not one that I necessarily share. But I mean, honestly, I’ve no idea.”

On Monday, the US president claimed there had been a “meteoric rise” in cases of autism and suggested the use of Tylenol – an American-branded version of paracetamol – during pregnancy is a potential cause.

UK health experts and officials have pushed back hard on the claim, saying there is “no evidence” for it – including Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who said that “I trust doctors over President Trump, frankly, on this”.

Speaking on ITV’s Lorraine, Mr Streeting said: “I’ve just got to be really clear about this: there is no evidence to link the use of paracetamol by pregnant women to autism in their children. None.”

The health secretary then referenced a major study in Sweden last year that involved 2.4 million children, adding it “did not uphold those claims”.

He added: “I would just say to people watching, don’t pay any attention whatsoever to what Donald Trump says about medicine.

“In fact, don’t take even take my word for it, as a politician – listen to British doctors, British scientists, the NHS.”

The health secretary also took aim at Mr Farage over his failure to criticise the US president, saying he had “no idea and no backbone”.

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He referred to a separate controversy in which Dr Aseem Malhotra, a vaccine-sceptic doctor, told the Reform Party conference that the COVID vaccine gave the royal family cancer.

“Anti-science, anti-reason, anti-NHS,” Mr Streeting said.

A spokesperson for Reform UK said: “Dr Aseem Malhotra is a guest speaker with his own opinions who has an advisory role in the US government. Reform UK does not endorse what he said but does believe in free speech.”

The Liberal Democrats also criticised Mr Farage, accusing him of wanting to impose Mr Trump’s “dangerous anti-science agenda here in the UK”.

A spokeswoman said: “Peddling this kind of nonsense is irresponsible and wrong.

“It seems Farage would rather see pregnant women suffer in pain than stand up to his idol Donald Trump.”