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9/26/2025 

Department of Public Health [via Mass.gov]

Acetaminophen – commonly known by the brand name Tylenol – is one of the safest and most commonly used medicines to relieve pain and reduce fever in pregnancy. Treating these symptoms is important, as leaving fever or significant pain untreated can be far more dangerous to a developing fetus than taking acetaminophen as directed.  

The overwhelming body of scientific research has not shown that using acetaminophen during pregnancy causes autism or other neurodevelopmental conditions in children. Claims to the contrary are simply not supported by high-quality evidence.  

Pregnant individuals should always follow the advice of their obstetrician, family practice physician, or nurse midwife before taking any medicine. Acetaminophen remains a safe and important option for managing headaches, muscle aches, or fever during pregnancy.  

Public health statements with the power and reach to influence millions of families must be anchored in solid evidence and guided by medical specialists who understand the science – not by speculation or opinions from those without the training and knowledge to accurately assess the full scope of research and the associated clinical nuances.  

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health will continue to push back on harmful misinformation and disinformation related to the health and safety of those in our Commonwealth.  And we will continue to monitor emerging research and rely on expert opinion to update our guidance as new high-quality evidence and data become available. 

Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD 
Commissioner of Public Health 

Jessica Zeidman, MD 
Deputy Commissioner/Chief Medical Officer  

National Suicide Prevention: 988, 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress 

MA Behavioral Health Help Line: Call or text 833-773-2445. MA BHHL offers free and confidential service to connect Massachusetts residents to a range of mental health and substance use treatment services in the Commonwealth. They are available 24/7/365 in 200+ languages and has accessibility features for the Deaf and hard of Hearing. 

Call2Talk: Operated by United Way of Tri-County, you can access this helpline by calling 2-1-1 or directly by calling 508-532-2255. The helpline’s primary purpose is crisis support. However, they also offer a telecheck program. Telecheck is a phone check-in service for elder adults operated in partnership with BayPath Elder Services and Advocates. Trained call-takers contact seniors weekly to provide support and friendly conversation following sudden life changes. 

The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds – based at Massachusetts General Hospital, is a free on-line educational resource to empower adults to support the mental, emotional and behavioral well-being of the young people in their lives, in challenging times.  It’s innovative multimedia platform offers engaging content with blogs (articles, Q+A, practical tips), videos (short films, PSAs, webinars) and a podcast, all regularly updated by new research, current events and user feedback.  Topics include anxiety, stress, depression, learning, trauma, suicide, and societal issues like digital media, cyber bullying, plus self-care and resilience building to manage through uncertainty and promote endurance.  Many of these resources are available in Spanish. 

Crisis Text Line – Free, nationwide, 24/7 text message service for people in crisis: text HOME to 741741 in the US 

Disabled Persons Protection Commission at (800) 426-9009 – To report abuse of a person with a disability under the age of 60. 

Elder Abuse Hotline: 800-922-2275 – 24/7, report physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, caretaker neglect, financial exploitation, and self neglect of persons 60 years or older. Online or by phone. To report abuse of a person by nursing home or hospital, call the Department of Public Health at (800) 462-5540. Call 911 or local police if you have an emergency or life-threatening situation. 

National Alliance of Eating Disorders: The leading national nonprofit organization providing referrals, education, and support for individuals experiencing eating disorders and their loved ones 

National Domestic Violence Hotline (800) 799-7233 or text START to 88788. 24/7 help and access to resources for survivors of domestic violence. 

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800.656.HOPE – Free, confidential, 24/7 trained support specialists who are ready to help 

Lahey Health Behavioral Services – Provides individual and group therapy for mental health and substance use issues; addiction treatment; family services; mobile crisis teams for behavioral and substance-related emergencies; inpatient psychiatric care, plus home and school-based programs for children and teens 

The Helpline – Free and confidential statewide, public resource for finding substance use treatment and recovery services 

Learn to Cope – Non-profit support network for parents and family members coping with a loved one addicted to opiates or other drugs 

Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988 then press 1. 24/7 confidential crisis support for Veterans and their loved ones. (It is not necessary to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect.)   

William James INTERFACE Referral Service: A mental health and wellness referral service that matches your needs with licensed local providers, usually within 2 weeks. The interface is not designated to respond to urgent, emergency, or crisis situations. You can call the helpline toll free 888-244-6843, Monday through Friday 9am-5pm. 

General Health Information: 

Restored CDC - Third-party hosts have archived the CDC website as it existed prior to its temporary removal and content changes by the current administration and made it available here.

Choosing Wisely – Choosing Wisely is an initiative of the ABIM Foundation that seeks to advance a national dialogue on avoiding unnecessary medical tests, treatments and procedures. 

HealthReach – National collaborative with multilingual, multicultural public health information for those working with or providing care to individuals with limited English proficiency 

Medline Plus – Information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues in language consumers can understand 

NCCN Patient Resources – The National Comprehensive Cancer Network is a not-for-profit organization. This web portal links you to over 50 patient guides for various types of cancer, webinars, and other resources for patients and caregivers. 

Privacy and Reproductive Rights – Given the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the Massachusetts Library System has put together a guide for how this effects people’s expectations of privacy and personal information online – something that may no longer be secure as some states restrict access to reproductive health. 

PubMed Health – Information for consumers and clinicians on prevention and treatment of diseases and conditions 

Skinsight – Insight from experts about treating and caring for your skin. Includes a rash and skin condition finder 

 

Prescriptions and Medications: 

Merck Manual Consumer – Detailed and informative prescription resource 

Prescribers’ Digital Reference – Trusted information on health knowledge products and services that support prescribing decisions and patient adherence to improve health 

Web Poison Control – Online tool that helps determine if a substance is poisonous and how to respond 

Pill Identifier – Look up pills by color, shape, imprints, or brand name 

 

Wellness Resources: 

Darebee: Funded solely by donations, Darebee offers free workouts, challenges, and guided programs most of which require little to no home equipment.  Darebee’s programs can be downloaded as PDFs. 

Darebeets: A newcompanion site to Darebee with loads of recipes that are flavorful, eclectic, and healthy. Both sites are not just free, but ad-free! 

UCLA Health Guided Meditations – For a free introduction to mindfulness meditation that you can practice on your own, stream or download the guided meditations recorded by UCLA MARC’s Director of Mindfulness Education, Diana Winston. 

 

Organizations: 

Chelmsford Board of Health’s Facebook Page – Follow the BoH on Facebook and learn about upcoming events 

FDA Consumer Health Information – Replacing the FDA’s print publication, FDA Consumer, this website is the Food and Drug Administration’s source for consumer health and safety information 

MASeniorCare.org – Information on senior care resources in Massachusetts, including a facility finder 

Massachusetts Certified Assisted Living Residences – List of certified assisted-living facilities in MA, from the Executive Office of Elder Affairs; searchable by city/town/zip code, or from a downloadable list 

MA Board of Registration in Medicine – Physician Profiles, including education, training, and experience of all licensed MA physicians 

National Institutes of Health – Health information for the public, scientists, researchers, medical professionals, patients, educators, and students 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Information on diseases and conditions, healthy living, travelers’ health, disaster preparedness, and more. 

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