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(NewsNation) — Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s upcoming report on autism is expected to link the use of Tylenol during pregnancy and folate deficiencies as causes for autism.
The report being prepared is expected to include a review of previous autism research, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.
It is also expected to suggest that the use of a medication derived from folate could be used to treat autism.
Autism has been a focus for Kennedy, who has questioned the increase in diagnosis, with 1 in 31 aged 8 affected by the condition. He has vowed to find a cause for the condition that many researchers say is largely genetic.
Tylenol and autism
Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, is an over-the-counter pain and fever reliever generally accepted as safe for use during pregnancy, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Some studies have found an association between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism, including a recent review from Mt. Sinai that analyzed previous research and found a possible link between Tylenol use during pregnancy and behavioral conditions, including autism and ADHD.
Other studies have not, however, including a Swedish study of 2.4 million children. In a lawsuit against the maker of Tylenol, a federal judge ruled that evidence linking the drug and autism was not admissible, and the Food and Drug Administration said in 2015 that evidence was too limited to make a recommendation regarding Tylenol and pregnancy....