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In his search to identify the cause of autism, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. floated a shocking theory this week that links infant circumcision and Tylenol use to autism.
“There’s two studies which show children who are circumcised early have double the rate of autism. It’s highly likely because they were given Tylenol,” Kennedy said during a Cabinet meeting Thursday.
The remarks came just two weeks after President Trump also took aim at acetaminophen — the active ingredient in Tylenol — warning it’s “not good” for pregnant women and could increase the risk of autism in their children.
Medical experts told The Post that the claims are misleading, cause unnecessary anxiety and lack solid evidence.
“I think what they are doing is good intentionally,” Dr. Robert Melillo, a neuroscientist who has worked with autistic children and adults for more than 30 years, said about the Trump administration. “But the messaging is terrible.”
Here’s everything you need to know about Kennedy’s latest autism theory.
Is there any research to back up RFK Jr.’s claims?
Kennedy didn’t cite specific studies, but one is likely a 2015 Danish paper that followed more than 340,000 boys and found a slightly higher autism rate by age 10, among those who were circumcised.
Autism — diagnosed in 1 in 31 US children, a rate that’s on the rise — affects how people learn, behave, communicate and interact with others.
The study authors suggested that pain or stress from the procedure — the surgical removal of the foreskin — could impact brain development. But without data on what medications were used, they couldn’t determine if Tylenol was involved.
Critics later called the research “flawed,” noting that it has significant limitations.
Another study from 2013 compared national circumcision and autism rates in eight countries and also found a weak correlation, but no cause.
“To really understand causation, you have to first explain what autism is and what is actually happening in the brain, and nobody is doing that at any level,” Melillo said.
“You can’t speak to causation if you don’t understand what the actual problem is, and that’s part of the confusion,” he continued.
Still, Trump backed up Kennedy’s remarks, saying: “There’s a tremendous amount of proof or evidence, I would say as a non-doctor,” adding that he studied the topic “a long time ago.”
Does Tylenol cause autism?
“There is no clear or conclusive evidence that the use of Tylenol (acetaminophen) during pregnancy causes autism,” Dr. Sarah Oreck, reproductive psychiatrist and founder of Mavida Health, told The Post.
The over-the-counter drug has been used safely for decades to treat pain and reduce fever, and doctors still consider it one of the safest options for pregnant women and young children when used as directed.
“If you said that Tylenol causes autism, then first of all, any mom who ever took Tylenol should have a child with autism — and that’s clearly not the case,” Melillo said.
Instead, Melillo and Oreck said the real focus should be on what the Tylenol is treating — not the drug itself.
“Here’s the problem: people take acetaminophen when they have fevers, migraines or chronic pain. These conditions themselves affect the pregnant person and the fetus,” Oreck said.
“The research couldn’t separate the medication from the illness being treated. It’s like blaming umbrellas for rain — just because they show up together,” she added.
Melillo also emphasized that many autism risk factors are in play long before pregnancy even begins — a point he explores in his book, “Autism: The Scientific Truth About Preventing, Diagnosing, and Treating Autism Spectrum Disorders — and What Parents Can Do Now.”
For example, research suggests that obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes in either parent can increase the risk of having a child with autism.
“There is clearly an increase in autism, and some lifestyle and environmental factors are driving it,” Melillo said. “But these are the same factors driving the rise in obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cancer and autoimmunity. They’re not specific to autism.”
What are experts saying about circumcision and autism rates?
“That doesn’t make sense,” Melillo said.
He pointed out that circumcision has been practiced for thousands of years and not all children are given Tylenol afterward.
“No credible scientific evidence supports this claim,” Oreck added. “The theory relies on weak correlations that do not establish causation, and it has not been validated through peer-reviewed research.”
Melillo said he’d be more concerned about other early-life factors — such as oxygen deprivation at birth, delivery trauma or signs of an overactive immune system — as potential contributors to autism.
“I think circumcision would be on the low end of it, and that’s why it’s surprising they’re making such a big deal about it,” Melillo said.
“The messaging is confusing and creating a lot of anxiety.”
English (US)