Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a federal probe into possible links between Tylenol use during pregnancy and autism, reigniting a long-running medical debate.
“We’re finding a number of different indicators. A number of different signals,” Kennedy told Fox News.
Fox News Senior Medical Analyst Dr. Marc Siegel applauded Kennedy for reviewing studies, saying, “The less you take during pregnancy the better.”
Concerns about Tylenol use during pregnancy possibly causing autism have circulated for years.
The medical journal Nature Reviews Endocrinology released a consensus statement in September 2021 warning of a potential link between acetaminophen and autism.
Lawsuits followed nationwide, including a Tylenol autism class action, according to the Lawsuit Information Center.
Tylenol responded to the claims, saying: “We appreciate the Secretary acknowledging media coverage… is nothing more than speculation. Nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of the people who use our products.”
Some, however, pushed back against Kennedy’s claims.
“Neurodevelopmental disorders, in particular, are multifactorial and very difficult to associate with a singular cause,” the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said in a statement to ABC News. “Pregnant patients should not be frightened away from the many benefits of acetaminophen, which is safe and one of the few options available for pain relief.”
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Kennedy has also criticized the government’s COVID-19 response, calling it politicized and dishonest and urging reforms at the CDC.