HHS Responds to Report About Autism and Acetaminophen

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to announce that maternal use of acetaminophen (Tylenol) is potentially linked to autism in a new report, according to sources reported by the Wall Street Journalopens in a new tab or window.

The report also will suggest that leucovorin, also known as folinic acidopens in a new tab or window — a medication used in conjunction with cancer drugs like methotrexate to counteract their toxic effects — can be used to treat autism symptoms, the sources said.

“The results of the leucovorin studies so far are inconsistent and based on small studies,” Alycia Halladay, PhD, chief science officer of the Autism Science Foundation, told MedPage Today. “Autism is too complex to be caused by one environmental factor or effectively treated by a single compound.”

The HHS report, expected this month, is likely to suggest that potential causes of autism include low levels of folate and acetaminophen taken during pregnancy, the sources added.

Acetaminophen is used by the majority of pregnant womenopens in a new tab or window, and some women continue to use the analgesic for many weeks in pregnancy.

In a statement, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) said it continues to advise that acetaminophen is appropriate to treat pain and fever during pregnancy, as these can carry risks for the fetus and mother.

“Untreated fever, particularly in the first trimester, increases the risk of miscarriage, birth defects, and premature birth, and untreated pain can lead to maternal depression, anxiety, and high blood pressure,” said SMFM.