HHS to issue report on acetaminophen in pregnancy and autism risk

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is preparing to issue a report this month that will single out the common pain reliever acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, as a potential risk factor for autism when used during pregnancy, people familiar with the matter said. The report is also expected to highlight low folate levels as a possible contributor to autism and to point to folinic acid as a candidate therapy to ease symptoms in some individuals, the people said. HHS declined to comment.

Acetaminophen is widely used by pregnant people for pain and fever. The report’s anticipated conclusion comes amid a long and contentious scientific debate over whether prenatal exposure to the drug is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders including autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Officials preparing the report will note that autism affected about one in 31 eight year olds in the United States in 2022, while also acknowledging that prior studies have produced mixed results.

Research over the past two decades has produced conflicting findings. A recent systematic review of dozens of studies found evidence of an...