U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., alongside President Trump, announced bold initiatives to address the autism spectrum disorder epidemic, which has surged nearly 400% since 2000, now affecting 1 in 31 American children.
Central to the reveal was a warning that acetaminophen (Tylenol) use during pregnancy may be linked to increased autism risk in children, prompting the FDA to issue immediate physician notices and initiate safety label changes to limit its use unless for high fevers. Kennedy cited a growing body of evidence, including a 2025 literature review in BMC Environmental Health that analyzed over 30 studies and found a likely association between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and autism, as well as a Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health review suggesting up to a 30% higher risk of neurodevelopmental disorders. Another key study referenced was a 2023 Environmental Health journal paper that showed potential neurotoxic effects from the drug’s metabolites crossing the placental barrier, thereby disrupting fetal brain development.
The announcement concluded that while acetaminophen remains the safest pain reliever option when medically necessary, pregnant women should avoid it routinely to mitigate risks, with further NIH research funded at $50 million to explore environmental triggers like this one. Adding irony, the administration resurfaced a 2017 Tylenol tweet responding to a customer query, stating, “We actually don’t recommend using any of our products while pregnant,” which Kenvue (Tylenol’s parent) later clarified as an incomplete canned reply, insisting that the drug is safe when used as directed by a doctor.
Reactions exploded online, with voices like those of Children’s Health Defense hailing it as a pharma-shaking breakthrough that exposes hidden risks. Medical experts, including the Autism Science Foundation and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, slammed the claims as irresponsible pseudoscience, emphasizing that no causal link exists and that untreated fevers pose greater dangers.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune voiced concern over potential harm to maternal health, while late-night host Jimmy Kimmel mocked the idea as absurdly simplistic. In a bizarre backlash, videos surfaced of pregnant leftist women dramatically downing handfuls of Tylenol on TikTok and X to “protest” the Trump administration’s “anti-science” stance, drawing widespread condemnation for endangering fetuses in a fit of partisan rage. Shares of Kenvue plummeted by over 9% following the announcement.
We want to ask you, the reader: do you believe Tylenol taken by pregnant women can cause autism in their children? Answer in our poll below and comment your thoughts on the adminsitration’s conclusion.
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