Trump Health Chief Revives Controversial Claim Tying Tylenol Use to Autism
At a recent Cabinet meeting, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. again stated that Tylenol, or acetaminophen, may cause autism, especially in infants after circumcision or during pregnancy. His and President Donald Trump’s comments startled medical experts, who believe they lack evidence.
Kennedy informed the Cabinet that two studies demonstrate early circumcision doubles autism risk in men. He claimed Tylenol for post-op pain increased risk. Kennedy said he had no proof but thought the linkages were worth considering. He also referenced a TikTok video of a pregnant woman “gobbling Tylenol” and accused his opponents of Trump antagonism.
President Trump declared himself a “non-doctor” but claimed he had seen evidence supporting Kennedy’s claim. He urged pregnant women and neonates to avoid acetaminophen.
Doctors swiftly refuted the administration’s claims. They argued many Kennedy studies are methodologically flawed and demonstrate correlation. Critics say previous studies linked circumcision to autism without controlling for anesthetic, infection risk, or underlying conditions.
According to leading health organizations, acetaminophen is one of the safest pain and fever drugs for pregnant and newborns when taken as advised. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and others argue prenatal Tylenol reports linked to autism oversimplify a complex topic and deceive pregnant women with valid health requirements.
Kennedy was chastised for his anatomy claim. His TikTok video misunderstood reproductive biology by suggesting the fetus was “in her placenta” and confused doctors. The placenta momentarily supports but does not develop the fetus.
Critics worry that unsupported assertions could undermine evidence-based treatments and distract from autism’s many causes—genetic predisposition, prenatal environment, immunological function, etc. Health professionals advise against drawing conclusions without evidence while the government pushes for more research to “make the proof.”
Sources
AP News
Washington Post
ABC News
