Experts, parents push back on misleading Tylenol-autism claims

Illinois parents, doctors and medical associations are among those speaking out against claims made by President Donald Trump that the pain reliever Tylenol is linked to autism.

“As both a mom of a child with severe autism and a business owner serving autistic families, I don’t believe there’s enough science to say Tylenol or vaccines cause autism,” said Linda Lynn, founder of Crystal Lake-based Rockin’ the Spectrum. “Making statements without evidence only spreads fear. What families truly need are reliable research, resources and compassion — not misinformation.”

Flanked by Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Dr. Mehmet Oz, who leads the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Trump on Sept. 22 blasted the over-the-counter drug known by the generic name acetaminophen, urging women not to take the pain reliever that physicians have said for years is the only safe drug to take during pregnancy.

Trump said the Food and Drug Administration would begin notifying doctors that the use of acetaminophen “can be associated” with an increased risk of autism, but he did not immediately provide any medical evidence for the FDA’s new recommendation. The president also raised unfounded concerns about links between autism rates in children and vaccines.

Those who work with or have family members diagnosed with the disorder said studies linking Tylenol to autism have long been disproven.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, based in Itasca, issued a statement saying that Trump’s comments were “filled with dangerous claims and misleading information,” which likely would confuse parents and “does a disservice to autistic individuals.”

Dr. Melissa Hill, chief of pediatrics at Morris Hospital in Grundy County, said a 2024 study of 2.4 million children born between 1995 and 2019 in Sweden showed there is no causal link between the use of Tylenol while pregnant and autism.

“It matched them with their siblings to really reduce confounding factors,” Hill said. “When children were matched with their siblings, there was no link found between Tylenol and autism.”

Joan Varitek, a Cary parent who also serves on the Rockin’ the Spectrum board, said she is aware of some previous studies that suggested potential linkage, but she does not know any parents who believe acetaminophen use is tied to their child’s autism diagnosis.

“Tylenol is one of the few medications deemed safe to take during pregnancy, and there is a real risk of having an unmanaged fever resulting in miscarriage,” Varitek said. “The fear-mongering and dehumanizing language only serves to put an already disadvantaged population at risk by putting the culpability on the individual.”

Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, has long been one of the most popular pain relievers and fever reducers in the U.S., used by upward of 100 million Americans annually.

The Illinois Department of Public Health took issue with what it described as a lack of evidence backing the new guidance. “IDPH is deeply concerned by the federal government issuing medical recommendations that are not backed by the full weight of scientific evidence,” the department said.

In a release posted to its website, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists reaffirmed its guidance that the medicine is safe for use during pregnancy.

“In more than two decades of research on the use of acetaminophen in pregnancy, not a single reputable study has successfully concluded that the use of acetaminophen in any trimester of pregnancy causes neurodevelopmental disorders in children,” according to the statement from Dr. Steven J. Fleischman, president of ACOG.

Easterseals, which provides services and screenings to children and adults with disabilities, including autism, issued a statement following Trump’s and Kennedy’s announcements.

“The rise in autism diagnoses is not a crisis — it reflects progress,” according to the national Easterseals organization. “Better awareness and screening mean more people are being identified across all communities, and more families can connect with the services they need sooner.”

• The Associated Press and Shaw Local News Network reporters Mike Urbanec and Kelsey Rettke contributed to this report.