Health Secretary RFK Jr to link Autism and Tylenol use in pregnancy sending company’s stock price spiraling
Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr plans to announce that the use of Tylenol by pregnant women may potentially lead to autism in children, according to a new report, which sent its manufacturer’s stock price plummeting.
A report from the Department of Health and Human Services, expected to be published this month, will also suggest ways in which symptoms of the developmental disorder, diagnosed in one in 36 U.S. children, can be treated.
Tylenol is a widely used pain reliever that can be bought over the counter in most pharmacies. Its active ingredient is acetaminophen.
Currently, women are permitted to take the medication while pregnant, and while some previous studies have indicated risks to fetal development, others have found no link. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says it is safe for women to use Tylenol during pregnancy, though it recommends they consult with their doctors.
Kennedy’s report is likely to suggest that low levels of folate, also known as vitamin B9, and Tylenol taken during pregnancy, are both potential causes of autism, sources close to the matter told The Wall Street Journal, which first reported on it.
HHS also plans to use a form of folate known as folinic acid, or leucovorin, as a possible way to decrease the symptoms of autism, the sources said.
The Independent has contacted the HHS for comment on the report.
In a statement shared with The Independent, a spokesperson for Kenvue, the parent company of the manufacturers of Tylenol said: “We appreciate the Secretary acknowledging media coverage on the upcoming HHS report is ‘nothing more than speculation.’
“Nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of the people who use our products. We have continuously evaluated the science and continue to believe there is no causal link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism.”
The statement continued: “To date, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and leading medical organizations agree on the safety of acetaminophen, its use during pregnancy, and the information provided on the label.
“We advise expecting mothers to speak to their healthcare professionals before taking any over-the-counter medications, including acetaminophen, as they are best positioned to advise their patients on whether taking acetaminophen is appropriate based on their unique medical conditions.”
Kennedy’s report is expected to be a review of existing research, according to people familiar with the matter. The Health Secretary has teased the report for months, telling President Donald Trump at a Cabinet meeting in April: “By September we will know what has caused the autism epidemic.”
“I’m looking forward to that day… There’s something wrong,” Trump said at the time, later adding that “we maybe know,” the cause of autism. “There has to be something artificial causing this, meaning a drug or something,” he said.
However, questions have been raised as to the swiftness of the research and subsequent report, as studies into the causes of autism can take many years.
