Trump admin links Tylenol/acetaminophen use in pregnancy to increased risk of autism despite mixed studies (Sep 2025) Article 

Michael Harrop

Michael Harrop

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Looks like the anti-vax crowd is upset as well:

Anti-vaccine groups melt down over RFK Jr. linking autism to Tylenol (Sep 22, 2025) https://arstechnica.com/health/2025/09/anti-vaccine-groups-melt-down-over-reports-rfk-jr-to-link-autism-to-tylenol/

"We didn’t wait 20 years for Bobby to finally speak and then get served Tylenol as an answer," anti-vaccine group Georgia Coalition for Vaccine Choice wrote in an unhinged Facebook post on Monday morning. "If that's all we hear - is that the end? Not thimerosal. Not aluminum. Not MMR. Not Hep B. Not the insane schedule pushed after pharma got liability protection. Are we supposed to just forget?"

Children's Health Defense (CHD)—the anti-vaccine group founded by Kennedy—even got in on the backlash, retweeting a post on Monday about parents who falsely blame vaccines for their children's neurological condition, with the statement: "THIS WAS NOT CAUSED BY TYLENOL."

In an interview on Steve Bannon's podcast War Room on Monday, CHD President Mary Holland downplayed the link, telling Bannon: "Today may be something of a sideshow—Tylenol is not the primary cause. Vaccines are the primary cause [of autism]," Holland said.

Bannon, for his part, slammed Kennedy's effectiveness as health secretary, calling his efforts to implement an anti-vaccine agenda unserious and amateurish. "This Tylenol thing stinks to high heaven," he said.
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In Utero Exposure to Caffeine and Acetaminophen, the Gut Microbiome, and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes: A Prospective Birth Cohort Study​


Pregnant individuals are exposed to acetaminophen and caffeine, but it is unknown how these exposures interact with the developing gut microbiome. We aimed to determine whether acetaminophen and/or caffeine relate to the childhood gut microbiome and whether features of the gut microbiome alter the relationship between acetaminophen/caffeine and neurodevelopment. Forty-nine and 85 participants provided meconium and stool samples at 6–7, respectively, for exposure and microbiome assessment. Fecal acetaminophen and caffeine concentrations were quantified, and fecal DNA underwent metagenomic sequencing. Caregivers and study staff assessed the participants’ motor and cognitive development using standardized scales. Prenatal exposures had stronger associations with the childhood microbiome than concurrent exposures. Prenatal acetaminophen exposure was associated with a trend of lower gut bacterial diversity in childhood [β = −0.17 Shannon Index, 95% CI: (−0.31, −0.04)] and was marginally associated with differences in the relative abundances of features of the gut microbiome at the phylum (Firmicutes, Actinobacteria) and gene pathway levels. Among the participants with a higher relative abundance of Proteobacteria, prenatal exposure to acetaminophen and caffeine was associated with lower scores on WISC-IV subscales. Acetaminophen during bacterial colonization of the naïve gut is associated with lasting alterations in childhood microbiome composition. Future studies may inform our understanding of downstream health effects.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9367926/



My first thought about the announcement was "they're missing the gut biome as a mediating factor in this." Tylenol or vaccines can alter the gut biome very significantly and they didn't mention it. Now, if people stop taking tylenol maybe that will lead to a decrease in autism diagnosis but it doesn't get at the heart of the issue still. Feel free to make this post its own thread and thank you.
 
RFK Jr.’s Team Wanted to Tout an Autism Therapy. He Went After Tylenol Instead. A meeting with Tylenol’s maker convinced Kennedy to put the emphasis on acetaminophen (Sep 24, 2025) https://www.wsj.com/health/healthcare/tylenol-autism-rfk-jr-trump-administration-split-a1ad44fc - https://archive.ph/6EtdE

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s team had decided by the beginning of September to tell Americans that acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, was a possible cause of autism. But officials were divided over how much emphasis to put on the painkiller and were planning to discuss it as one of many possible causes, people familiar with the matter said.

Doctors that Kennedy had selected to lead key agencies under him—Jay Bhattacharya, Mehmet Oz and Marty Makary—suggested the big story should be leucovorin, a little-known generic drug in which they saw promise for alleviating autism symptoms.

After summoning Kirk Perry, interim CEO of Tylenol manufacturer Kenvue, Kennedy’s mind was set. He found Kenvue’s evidence in support of the drug to be poor, and became convinced that he had a moral duty to get the word out about the risk of acetaminophen as soon as possible, the people said.
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