Science Finds No Credible Link Between Tylenol and Autism,Despite Claims
MONTREAL – Despite renewed public discussion fueled by claims linking various factors to autism,scientific consensus remains firm: there is no credible evidence establishing a causal relationship between acetaminophen (Tylenol) and autism spectrum disorder. this conclusion comes as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., recently appointed Secretary of Health, previously pledged to identify the cause of autism by fall – a promise experts deem unrealistic given the complexity of the condition.
Autism is understood to be “multifactorial,” meaning it arises from a combination of genetic and environmental influences, according to perinatal epidemiologist Anick Bérard. “There is a great pressure right now in the United States to find the cause of autism. But we know that autism is multifactorial, there are several causes. And there is a large genetic component,” Bérard stated.Hundreds of genes have been associated with autism, alongside environmental factors like advanced parental age, prematurity, low birth weight, and prenatal exposure to fever or illness.
While the number of diagnosed autism cases has risen, Bérard notes this is largely due to broadened diagnostic criteria. “The diagnostic criteria have been widened; We diagnose more people.”
Kennedy recently reiterated support for a link between vaccines and autism, despite decades of research disproving any correlation.This echoes past, discredited claims stemming from a 1998 study published in The Lancet. That study was later retracted in 2010,with the journal’s publishers acknowledging the conclusions “should never have been published.”
The science surrounding autism remains in its early stages, and experts emphasize the need for continued research before definitive conclusions can be drawn. However, current evidence does not support a connection between acetaminophen use and the development of autism.
