Overview

• Reports from the Wall Street Journal say a pending HHS/NIH review will cite prenatal acetaminophen exposure and low folate as autism risk factors and discuss folinic acid as a potential symptom treatment.
• HHS says details remain speculative until publication later this month, with NIH leading the drafting and related autism data science grants expected.
• A large 2024 JAMA study using sibling analyses found no causal link between prenatal acetaminophen and autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability, highlighting the role of familial confounding.
• Major medical groups, including ACOG, continue to advise acetaminophen as an option in pregnancy when medically indicated at the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration.
• A coalition of autism researchers condemned the reported approach as cherry‑picking, Kenvue shares swung sharply on the headlines, and analysts characterized the selloff as an overreaction as past Tylenol–autism lawsuits were dismissed.