HHS to release report linking Tylenol use in pregnancy to autism: report

Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr is set to announce later in September links between the usage of popular over-the-counter painkiller Tylenol during pregnancy with autism. The report will also suggest that low levels of folate during pregnancy can cause the developmental disorder, people familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal.

The report will likely suggest that folinic acid, a form of folate also known as leucovorin, could be used to decrease symptoms of autism. The people familiar with the matter said the report is expected to be a review of existing research, suggest other potential causes, and suggest further study. 

Some previous studies have indicated that using Tylenol, which has the active ingredient acetaminophen, could pose risks to fetal development, while other studies have found no such associations. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says Tylenol is safe to use during pregnancy but cautions, as with other medications, that expecting mothers consult with their doctors before using. 

The National Institutes of Health has taken the lead on drafting the report, and the HHS staff preparing the report is expected to list possible causes for the disorder and discuss what is known and unknown. 

An HHS spokesman said, "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."

Along with the report, the Department of Health and Human Services is expected to announce large grant awards as part of the NIH’s autism data science initiative. Kennedy has said that "by September we will know what has caused the autism epidemic," and while critics say that the timeline laid out by Kennedy is impossible if the government conducts a valid scientific inquiry, Kennedy’s advisors have instead promised to launch an NIH research effort by September. 

In the wake of the Wall Street Journal’s report, shares in Kenvue, the parent company of Tylenol maker McNeil Consumer Healthcare, fell sharply, ending 9.3 percent lower on Friday. A Kenvue spokesperson said, "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."