NBC NEWS – Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has in recent months teased a September announcement in which he would identify the cause of autism.
This week, some close to the Trump administration and one major news outlet suggested Kennedy could point in the direction of acetaminophen use during pregnancy as one possible link.
Tylenol’s active ingredient is acetaminophen, a drug that is known as an analgesic, which can help with pain relief. Many over-the-counter drugs contain acetaminophen.
Andrew Nixon, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, said in an email: “We are using gold-standard science to get to the bottom of America’s unprecedented rise in autism rates. Until we release the final report, any claims about its contents are nothing more than speculation.”
Kenvue, the company that makes Tylenol, said in a statement that “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.”
Shares in Kenvue dropped sharply after the Journal published its article, falling more than 9% Friday.
At least two people close to the Trump administration teased the report earlier this week.
On Tuesday, far-right activist Laura Loomer posted to X that the use of Tylenol by pregnant women was under scrutiny by HHS.
That same day, Dr. Robert Malone, whom Kennedy recently appointed to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s independent vaccine advisory committee, said in an appearance on One America News Network that he thought Kennedy was preparing to link Tylenol, vaccinations and autism …
