Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made another controversial connection to autism, this time linking it to something even stranger than Tylenol.
The Health and Human Services Secretary under President Donald Trump's administration sparked controversy on Thursday (October 9) after he claimed there was a strong connection between circumcision and autism.
Kennedy made the comments during a Cabinet meeting, stating: “There are two studies that show children who are circumcised early have double the rate of autism," adding, "It's highly likely because they're given Tylenol.”
Kennedy did not specify the studies he was referring to, but a 2015 report from Denmark, which tracked over 300,000 males and suggested that circumcised boys had a higher chance of developing autism by the age of 10 than those who were not circumcised.
However, the claim was not universally supported, and no conclusive evidence has linked circumcision directly to autism.
Trump and Kennedy's Previous Statements on Tylenol
Tylenol, a widely used pain reliever during pregnancy, has recently become controversial after President Trump and Kennedy Jr. claimed that its use during pregnancy could increase the risk of autism in children.
This statement created a stir, with some experts quickly pushing back on the 79-year-old and asserting that no scientific evidence supports this theory.
The European Union and British regulators have contended that paracetamol (acetaminophen) is safe for use during pregnancy, while the World Health Organization acknowledged the conflicting nature of some studies but has not advised against its use.
Health agencies have also underscored that autism is a complex condition with a variety of contributing factors, and no conclusive evidence has been found linking it to the use of Tylenol or circumcision.
Kenvue Pushes Back
Kenvue, the parent company of Tylenol, responded to Kennedy's assertion that acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol) is contributing to higher autism rates.
While the company distanced itself from the controversial statements, a 2017 tweet in which they had warned against using its products while pregnant surfaced on social media.
That post had raised eyebrows as it seemed to align with the president's remarks, though the manufacturer clarified that it was misinterpreted and stressed that their current stance was rooted in sound scientific data.
“We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism,” the company added.
The controversial comments by Trump and Kennedy didn’t just confuse the medical community; they also impacted financial markets.
Kenvue, which makes about $1 billion annually from Tylenol sales, saw a slight dip in its stock price immediately after the announcement. However, it rebounded by 6 percent soon after, as investors realized no new scientific evidence had been presented to support the claims.
James Harlow, vice president at Novare Capital Management, explained the recovery: “Investors were holding their breath worried that yesterday's announcement would be a bombshell. It turned out it wasn't, as no new scientific evidence was presented linking Tylenol to autism.”