Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has tempered his messaging on Tylenol use during pregnancy, clarifying that there isn’t definitive evidence linking the common pain reliever to autism. He made this statement despite weeks of stark warnings from both himself and President Trump.
Speaking at a press conference, Kennedy acknowledged the limitations of current research while still urging caution. “The causative association between Tylenol given in pregnancy and the perinatal periods is not sufficient to say it definitely causes autism, but it is very suggestive,” he explained.
The secretary pointed to animal studies, cord blood research, and observational data from multiple countries as reasons for concern.
Kennedy’s stance marks a shift from the more definitive warnings issued previously. In September, he and Trump held a press conference specifically discouraging pregnant women from using the medication, with Trump memorably telling women to “tough it out” rather than take Tylenol for fever or pain.
More recently, Kennedy connected circumcision to autism through Tylenol administration during a Cabinet meeting, suggesting critics of the theory were driven by political animus.
The controversy has sparked heated debate across social media and medical communities. Podcast host Joe Rogan weighed in on the issue, defending Kennedy and Trump against accusations of being anti-science.
“I’ve been fascinated by these videos of pregnant women taking Tylenol to show Trump that they don’t believe in what RFK Jr. is saying, that it’s somehow or another anti-science. When this science came from Harvard, that’s where the study came from, he’s not making things up,” Rogan said on his show.
Yet medical experts have raised significant concerns about the administration’s messaging. While some smaller studies have explored potential connections between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes, larger and more rigorous research tells a different story. A 2024 Swedish study following 2.5 million children—including sibling pairs where only one was exposed to acetaminophen before birth—found no link to autism or ADHD.
Scientists also point to alternative explanations for rising autism rates that don’t involve medication. Diagnostic criteria have expanded dramatically in recent decades, the autism spectrum is now more widely recognized, and standardized screening has become commonplace. These factors alone account for much of the apparent increase in prevalence.
Medical professionals warn that discouraging fever reducers during pregnancy carries its own serious risks. High fevers have well-established connections to miscarriage and birth defects, making untreated fever potentially more dangerous than the medication itself.
International health authorities have explicitly rejected the connection promoted by U.S. officials. Health agencies in the European Union, Canada, and the United Kingdom have stated that claims linking acetaminophen to autism lack scientific justification.
Kennedy’s latest comments align more closely with the Food and Drug Administration’s position, which notes that “a causal relationship has not been established and there are contrary studies in the scientific literature.”
The secretary emphasized that pregnant women and parents of young children should “consult your physician,” adding that doctors have been asked to “minimize the use to one it’s absolutely necessary.”
Kennedy stated the government intends to conduct further research to establish whether causation exists. “We’re doing the studies to make the proof,” he said, while conceding that “anecdotes and statistics aren’t proof.”
