WASHINGTON, D.C. (LOOTPRESS) — Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sparked controversy Thursday after suggesting during a cabinet meeting that infant circumcision may be linked to higher autism rates — a connection he attributed to the use of Tylenol given to newborns after the procedure.
“There are two studies which show children who are circumcised early have double the rate of autism. It’s highly likely because they were given Tylenol,” Kennedy reportedly told President Donald Trump during the meeting, according to The New York Post.
Kennedy appeared to reference a 2015 study published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, which examined the relationship between ritual circumcision and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in boys under 10. The researchers found that circumcised boys were more likely to develop autism than their uncircumcised peers, though they noted that the cause could be related to pain or stress from the procedure — not necessarily medication.
The Health Secretary’s comments come amid renewed debate over acetaminophen (Tylenol) safety. Last month, President Trump urged pregnant women to avoid taking Tylenol, citing what he called “potential links” between prenatal exposure and autism.
Medical experts have emphasized that while some studies have explored possible associations between Tylenol and autism, no causal relationship has been proven. Major health organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics, continue to state that circumcision and the appropriate use of acetaminophen remain safe medical practices when performed under proper care.
