RFK Jr.’s big report on autism is scheduled to come out this month, and we’re hearing that it might point the finger at Tylenol as a possible cause. And the science on this gets confusing fast. Because some studies do suggest that taking acetaminophen while you’re pregnant could increase your kid’s chance of being autistic or having ADHD. But other research doesn’t find a clear connection — and scientists think there could be a whole other explanation here. So, what’s going on?? We sort it out, with help from epidemiologist Prof. Brian Lee. Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsTylenolAutism In this episode, we cover: (00:00) The fears around acetaminophen and autism (02:18) Could acetaminophen be an endocrine disruptor? (06:25) Could acetaminophen affect brain development? (10:44) What if something else is going on? (20:26) Is there a link between acetaminophen and autism — or not?? This episode was produced by Meryl Horn, with help from Rose Rimler, Michelle Dang, and Ekedi Fausther-Keeys. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Our executive producer is Wendy Zukerman. Fact checking and consulting by Erica Akiko Howard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Bobby Lord, So Wiley, Emma Munger and Bumi Hidaka. Thanks to the researchers we spoke to for this episode and our other episode on autism. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Full Episode
Hi, I'm Meryl Horne filling in for Wendy Zuckerman, and you're listening to Science Versus. This is the show that pits facts against acetaminophen. Today on the show, does taking Tylenol when you're pregnant make it more likely that your kid will be autistic? This idea has been all over the news the past couple weeks because of a big report that's coming from the U.S. government.
It's supposedly gonna reveal the true causes of autism. And now what's going around is the claim that it's gonna talk about Tylenol. HHS is set to release a report that will link autism to Tylenol use during pregnancy.
The use of Tylenol by pregnant women may be linked to autism in children. The claim is shaking up medicine and raising questions from doctors.
And the government hasn't confirmed that the report will talk about acetaminophen. But this idea, it isn't something that came out of nowhere or some totally fringe scientific theory. There are lots of legit studies on this, and some of them do seem to suggest that popping acetaminophen during pregnancy is linked not just to autism, but to ADHD and other stuff going on with the brain.
Meanwhile, fears around taking Tylenol when you're pregnant have been spreading on social media for years. And these new reports have added fuel to the fire.
I have been scared to death for days.
Here's why you shouldn't take Tylenol if you're pregnant or you're thinking about getting pregnant.
I took Tylenol throughout my whole pregnancy. I have a lot of f***ing questions right now. And people better start f***ing talking.
And yeah, this does raise some big f***ing questions. Because tons of people take meds with acetaminophen in them when they're pregnant. Studies find that more than half of pregnant people in the U.S. take these drugs. So what's going on here? Can taking Tylenol when you're pregnant up the chance that your kid will be autistic?
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