Overview
- Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the evidence does not show Tylenol definitively causes autism, calling the association “very suggestive” and urging pregnant patients to consult clinicians and use the drug only when necessary.
- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed an Oct. 28 lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue alleging acetaminophen increases the risk of autism and ADHD in children.
- The FDA has begun evaluating potential label changes for acetaminophen and stated a causal relationship has not been established, noting contrary studies and the risks of leaving fever untreated in pregnancy.
- Kenvue said it agrees patients should seek medical advice and emphasized there is no definitive causal association between acetaminophen and autism.
- Major medical organizations point to higher‑quality research, including a large 2024 JAMA sibling analysis from Sweden, finding no causal link, and prior U.S. personal‑injury suits were dismissed after a judge ruled the plaintiffs’ expert evidence unreliable.