Does tylenol cause autism? is it safe?

Yup, this again.

A recently circulating claim, especially by RFK Jr. and Donald Trump (later partially retracted) as well as personal injury attorneys, is that Tylenol causes autism. In 2021 an independent group of clinicians claimed there was a potential risk of asd and/or adhd and lawyers pushed the narrative for increased claim cases for their own benefit. When reviewing the research, a number of potential confounding factors were identified (e.g., parental health, genetics/familial risk, other medications taken during pregnancy). Moreover, when sibling control analyses were conducted, there was no increased risk when taking Tylenol during pregnancy. Overall, there was a lack of evidence of increased chance of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability when compared to controls and sibling controls for those who used acetaminophen during pregnancy. In December 2023, in NYC, US District Judge Denise Cote was required to decide whether those doctors who were claiming that Tylenol increased risk of autism was based on reliable scientific evidence and if their claims would be admissible in court. Ultimately, she rejected the scientific case from the plaintiffs because “their analyses have not served to enlighten, but to obfuscate the weakness of the evidence on which they purport to rely”, thus ending the case. The US FDA has stated that Tylenol (acetaminophen) poses minimal risk during pregnancy and is commonly given by doctors and nurses to pregnant women. This misinformation can be harmful because women may decide to substitute NSAIDS (like advil), which is not recommended during pregnancy increased risk in miscarriage. Additionally, maternal fever (which can be controlled by Tylenol) is associated with miscarriage and neural tube defects or other complications and this misinformation may cause women to avoid taking Tylenol when necessary and beneficial.

Women should continue to use Tylenol as necessary in moderation during pregnancy. Embrace your children for the people they are, the joy they bring, and the lessons they teach you, and try to let go of need to understand cause if you are able. Most importantly there is certainly no need to blame yourself as a parent. Do your research and strongly consider life-saving vaccinations. Look for reliability and soundness in scientific studies. Don’t get information solely from social media.