Topline
President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reiterated the unverified and highly controversial suggestion that Tylenol usage is linked to autism in children during a press conference Thursday where Kennedy said the federal government is “doing the studies to make the proof.”
US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (2L) speaks during a cabinet meeting hosted by US President Donald Trump (R) in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on October 9, 2025. (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
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Key Facts
Kennedy, pointing to studies he claimed show “the countries that use the most [acetaminophen] have the highest level of autism,” said “it’s not proof. We’re doing the studies to make the proof.”
He also said there are “two studies that show children who are circumcised early have double the rate of autism, and it’s highly likely it’s because they’re given Tylenol,” to which Trump replied “there’s a tremendous amount of proof or evidence,” without giving examples.
Previous studies on a potential link between autism and acetaminophen have produced inconclusive results, and major medical groups have refuted the Trump administration’s recommendations that pregnant women shouldn’t take Tylenol, reiterating that it is safe to treat fever and pain and noting untreated fevers during pregnancy carry significant health risks.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2025/10/09/trump-and-rfk-jr-double-down-on-unproven-tylenol-autism-link-were-doing-the-studies-to-make-the-proof/
