In another unsubstantiated claim, the U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is planning to link Tylenol usage to autism.
According to sources familiar with the situation, Kennedy plans to publicly question the safety of Tylenol during pregnancy, despite decades of medical consensus asserting otherwise. The Wall Street Journal reported that Kennedy will claim a connection between prenatal Tylenol use and autism, along with proposing that folinic acid, a compound derived from folate, might ease autism symptoms.
“We’re committed to using gold-standard science to get to the bottom of America’s unprecedented rise in autism rates,” a spokesperson from the Department of Health and Human Services told reporters. The department emphasized that no conclusions should be drawn until the final report is released.
Kennedy’s controversial stance is not new. He has repeatedly questioned mainstream medical views on autism, often attributing it to environmental toxins and vaccines, though no scientific consensus supports those claims.
“There is no clear evidence that proves a direct relationship between the prudent use of acetaminophen during pregnancy and fetal developmental issues,” said Dr. Christopher Zahn of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Kenvue, the company behind Tylenol, reiterated its confidence in the medication’s safety and advised expectant mothers to consult their doctors. The FDA and major medical bodies continue to back acetaminophen use in pregnancy when used appropriately.
Meanwhile, Kennedy’s $50 million Autism Data Science Initiative is expected to award grants later this month to research the condition’s potential contributors, with over 100 proposals already submitted.
