During a cabinet meeting on Thursday, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. asserted that boys circumcised soon after birth have double the rate of autism—linking the claim to their use of Tylenol following the procedure.
Kennedy stated he reviewed studies showing a correlation and described the connection as “highly likely.” He tied the increased risk to infants receiving acetaminophen as pain relief post-circumcision.
Kennedy has not publicly named all the research he referenced. One possible source is a 2015 Danish study that observed higher rates of autism in circumcised boys—though researchers could not confirm causation or account for variables like analgesic use or other health factors.
His remarks add to a string of controversial statements concerning autism, Tylenol, and environmental exposures—claims that have drawn sharp criticism from medical experts and autism advocacy groups who say they undermine credible scientific standards.