Well being Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to announce that using Tylenol by pregnant ladies could also be linked to autism in youngsters, in accordance with a report Friday within the Wall Road Journal — which the Division of Well being and Human Providers stated was “hypothesis.”
This comes after Kennedy stated in April that HHS would undertake a “large testing and analysis effort” to find out the reason for autism. Kennedy on the time stated the plan was to launch a complete report in September.
Nonetheless, Nationwide Institutes of Well being Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya stated later that month the findings might take as much as a 12 months.
Kennedy has prior to now made the unfounded declare that autism is a “preventable illness,” drawing heavy criticism from many medical specialists.
How did Kenvue and HHS reply to the WSJ report?
In an announcement offered to CBS Information on Friday, an HHS spokesperson referred to as the Journal’s report “hypothesis.”
“We’re utilizing gold-standard science to resolve America’s unprecedented rise in autism charges. Till we launch the ultimate report, any claims about its contents are nothing greater than hypothesis,” the spokesperson stated.
And in a separate assertion in response to the WSJ story, Kenvue, the maker of Tylenol — whose energetic ingredient is acetaminophen — stated that “we now have repeatedly evaluated the science and proceed to consider there is no such thing as a causal hyperlink between acetaminophen use throughout being pregnant and autism. Up to now, the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) and main medical organizations agree on the protection of acetaminophen, its use throughout being pregnant, and the knowledge offered on the label.”
Later Friday, Kenvue stated in a separate assertion that “we admire the Secretary acknowledging media protection on the upcoming HHS report is ‘nothing greater than hypothesis.'”
What do medical specialists say?
The American School of Obstetricians and Gynecologists stated in an announcement offered to CBS Information on Friday that “there is no such thing as a clear proof that proves a direct relationship between the prudent use of acetaminophen throughout being pregnant and fetal developmental points.”
“Neurodevelopmental issues, particularly, are multifactorial and really tough to affiliate with a singular trigger,” ACOG stated. “Pregnant sufferers shouldn’t be frightened away from the numerous advantages of acetaminophen, which is secure and one of many few choices pregnant folks have for ache aid.”
CBS Information chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook stated Friday he’s trying ahead to studying the upcoming report pledged by Kennedy, “particularly the proof behind any conclusions and proposals.”
“I spoke this afternoon to a researcher who was a part of a main research revealed simply final 12 months that adopted 2.5 million youngsters in Sweden over 25 years,” LaPook stated. “He stated use of acetaminophen … was not related to an elevated danger of autism in youngsters.”
Autism has change into extra prevalent in youngsters born within the U.S. over the previous 25 years, in accordance with statistics compiled by the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention. However there is no such thing as a scientific consensus on the the reason why.
In an interview with CBS Information on Friday, Dr. Christine Ladd-Acosta — an affiliate professor of epidemiology on the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg College of Public Well being and the vice director for the Wendy Klag Heart for Autism and Developmental Disabilities — stated analysis exhibits that the causes of autism “are advanced.”
“There have been a number of dozen research taking a look at Tylenol and whether or not use throughout being pregnant is related to danger of autism in these ladies’s youngsters, and the proof has been actually form of conflicting … Some research have proven no affiliation,” Ladd-Acosta stated. “Some have proven a constructive affiliation. Some have proven unfavorable associations. And I believe a part of that’s as a result of it is actually exhausting to tease aside … Whether or not it is the remedy itself that’s influencing autism danger within the youngster, or if it has to do with the situation … the mom is utilizing the drugs to deal with that’s the factor that’s vital in autism danger.”
Ladd-Acosta famous that the dosage, the “size of time” that pregnant ladies are taking Tylenol, and the “particular situation” they’re taking it for are all components which were thought of when trying to find out if there’s a potential affiliation between the remedy and autism.
“There have been some associations, however there was no conclusive proof I’ve seen to point out that Tylenol itself causes autism definitively,” Ladd-Acosta stated.
