Last week, Robert Kennedy Jr. testified before a Senate committee about the ongoing catastrophes at the department he leads, Health and Human Services. His testimony was contentious, belligerent and full of lies. He was questioned about the mass-firings and mass-resignations at the CDC, and his insane Covid vaccine policies which limit the vaccine to seniors and no one else. His questioning did not go well, probably because he’s a former drug addict and con man with compromised mental facilities after a worm ate part of his brain. Kennedy was screaming and lying and carrying on during his testimony, and he forgot to turn off his mic, so everyone could hear his ragged breathing and general unwellness. Well, you know how Kennedy is singularly obsessed with autism, lying about people with autism and lying about the causes of autism? Well, he’s apparently going to announce that Tylenol usage by pregnant women causes autism.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is expected to publish a report claiming that Tylenol use by pregnant women is potentially linked to autism, according to reports. The report will suggest that the pain-relieving medication is among the potential causes of autism, along with low levels of folate (a vitamin that promotes cell growth), according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). The document prepared by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will be distributed later this month.
The claims of the potential effects of Tylenol on autism presented in the report are based on “a review of existing research,” with ways of treating the symptoms of the disorder also included in the report, per the WSJ.
“The agency also plans to pinpoint a form of folate known as folinic acid, or leucovorin, as a way to decrease the symptoms of autism, which affected roughly one in 31 eight-year-olds in the U.S. in 2022,” WSJ reported.
Autism or autism spectrum disorder is a condition related to brain development that can cause limited and repeated patterns of behavior, challenges in communicating with others, and a breakdown of speech, according to Mayo Clinic. Pregnant women are typically advised to take Tylenol for pain relief or another form of acetaminophen, the BBC News reported.
The incoming report comes after Kennedy controversially promised he would reveal the causes of autism by September during a cabinet meeting with President Donald Trump in April.
Many people are already predicting a huge lawsuit from Tylenol, which is one of the safest over-the-counter pain relievers out there. Tylenol is so safe, it’s the one pain reliever ob-gyns recommend for pregnant women across the board. Doctors also recommend Tylenol or acetaminophen after vaccinations, btw. Every time I’ve gotten a Covid vaccine, they recommend Tylenol. If Kennedy really uses the power of his office to push this harmful and dangerous junk-science, I hope Kenvue (Tylenol’s corporate owner) sues the f–k out of Kennedy and the Trump administration and everyone else.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr testifies before the US Senate Committee on Finance on “The President’s 2026 Health Care Agenda” in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill Featuring: Robert F Kennedy Jr Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 04 Sep 2025 Credit: Andrew Thomas/CNP/INSTARimages
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- United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr testifies before the US Senate Committee on Finance on “The President’s 2026 Health Care Agenda” in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill Featuring: Robert F Kennedy Jr Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 04 Sep 2025 Credit: Andrew Thomas/CNP/INSTARimages
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- United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr testifies before the US Senate Committee on Finance on “The President’s 2026 Health Care Agenda” in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill Featuring: Robert F Kennedy Jr Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 04 Sep 2025 Credit: Andrew Thomas/CNP/INSTARimages
His head looks like a rotting pumpkin
He really has the face he deserves.
🎯
Lol yes! His face looks like an actual Halloween mask.
What a dangerous wing nut. From putting small mammals in blenders to beheading whale carcasses for fun to being in charge of the health of the USA. Make it make sense.
To me he’s Sloth in the The Goonies. Appalling.
Is it just me, or are all of the Maga men starting to look like each other? At any rate, rotten on the inside is starting to surface. Gross. All of my kids should be autistic, I took the occasional Tylenol while pregnant. None are. All are fully vaccinated, too.
He looks like a stick of beef jerky. Mmmm, so healthy looking! /s
My son is on the spectrum and I never took Tylenol during pregnancy. Tylenol doesn’t work for me so when I take any pain relief, it’s Advil, and because we had a long journey to having a child (7 years) I didn’t take pain meds while pregnant with the exception of one time (Advil) because I was paranoid about losing the pregnancy. So…yeah. B.S.
He seems like the type of man to get off on blaming women for children who don’t fit into his nazi-categorization of “normal.” Screw this gross, walking douche bag who looks like he’s rotting.
@Josephine: “blaming women for children who don’t fit into his Nazi-categorization of ‘normal'” so perfectly said.
Is RFK Nazi nomal though, I thought they went for the tall blond types. As someone on bsky hilariously said, RFK looks like a greasy wiener that’s been broiled and left out in the sun for too long.
Exactly what I was thinking @Josephine, trying to put the blame on women and not even considering oh, I don’t know, genetics, biology, neurology…The “vaccines cause autism” theory has been debunked again & again, gotta try a new angle to avoid actually looking at the science and figuring out the real cause(s). He’s such a nutbag POS, and beyond unqualified for the position he paid to get.
I was expecting him to bring back the concept of “refrigerator mothers” along with the four humors.
Same. Didn’t take it during pregnancy or while trying to get pregnant, and I have an autistic child with ADHD.
Where is the peer reviewed proof to support this? I bet there isn’t any!
I haven’t seen any.
And while I’m not a doctor, I work in biomedical research and would have come across anything that is relevant to any of this.
I’m sure it’s his Brownstone Institute’s cronies and assorted other self-styled experts who came up with this.
They’d be all doing us a favour if they started working in fiction instead of meddling with things that are clearly above their intellectual level.
He’s pulled out falsified studies in the past and he’ll do it again.
He’ll present some dubious “doctors” and “scientists” associated with the report (paid huge consultant fees + given priceless grifters’ publicity for their trouble).
It’s going to be ‘released’, but I’m willing to bet it doesn’t get published in JAMA or any other medical journal.
And a quick google search showed me that autism was first defined in 1943 & Tylenol in 1955. Hmmm. 🤔
And Tylenol is the first line pain reliever in any hospital setting–start there, and if you need something else, then we’ll see. But start there.
Well, can we have vaccinations back, then?
Right???? so if its the tylenol, everyone should be vaccinating their children against measles and everything else.
(I mean its not the tylenol or the vaccines, and everyone knows it.) I don’t get why its so hard for people to accept that autism just…..is. It just exists. some people have it or are on the spectrum the same way some people have allergies.
Yes can we be worried about rubella which has been known to cause birth defects for decades?
(When I mentioned how this happened to the Duchess of Kent and so everyone should take the MMR vaccine, some fool in that post tried to say it is just a light risk)
Because then parents would have to accept the disorder is from THEIR genes, even if they themselves are not autistic (or so they think). If you’re weird about mental illness or what you perceive as such (as opposed to diabetes, for example), it’s much easier to blame big bad pharma than to accept you’re not the picture of neurobiological “superiority”.
I usually wait until October but I am getting my Covid booster and flu shot Thursday. CVS has a minute clinic and don’t require a doctors prescription.
I am so terrified about all this. This overcooked ham is trying to kill us all.
I’m going this weekend as well and taking my kids.
ugh we cant get COVID in my state apparently. I’m hoping that changes soon. But at least we can get the flu shot?
I’m going to ask my doctor about this today. Before Friday, pharmacies in Massachusetts couldn’t administer the Covid vaccine without the official federal guidelines. But on Friday, the state announced that pharmacies could administer Covid vaccines based on state guidelines rather than federal ones. CVS’s on-line scheduling still only allows for federal approval, so I guess you have to walk in to try to make an appointment.
I usually wait until October too, but I was also super-nervous about vaccine availability and access this year. So, over the weekend, I got my flu, Covid, and (lifetime!) RSV shots at a local pharmacy. I wanted to get them while I knew I could. The day after the shots, I felt as if I’d been hit by a truck, but I just popped some Tylenol (ha!) and thanked my lucky stars for vaccines.
Yep, got mine at CVS (Longs here in Hawaii) last week Friday. Took a Tylenol afterward, too.
The fact that IT’S 😡 name is RFK, Jr…after his ESTEEM Father who is one of my POLITICAL heroes (please note distinction)…TRULY HURTS MY 💜 & SOUL!😪
Be careful how you raise your kids.
In all fairness to RFK Sr, he was not given the opportunity to do much of the raising.
I remember reading at some point that Ethel was basically unable to function for a while after RFK’s assassination (she was pregnant with their 11th child at the time), while Jackie took her kids and escaped the US to marry Aristotle Onassis. RFK’s older kids had very little supervision in the late 1960s-early 1970s and RFK Jr. became a terror, using and dealing drugs, getting kicked out of multiple private schools, etc. He’s gotten away with a lot because of his father’s name.
I took Tylenol literally every day when I was pregnant for bad headaches and back pain. My kid is the farthest thing from autistic. No one is my very large extended family is autistic either.
How very “America first” of RFK jr! My 70-year-old Dad from South Africa was diagnosed with autism a couple years ago, and his mom was definitely not using Tylenol when he was in utero. How does this conclusion stand up to even the most basic of scrutiny???
Please get your vaccines while you can. Ask your doctor to check and see if you need any boosters. My body now relies on herd immunity due to chemo. I wear a mask everywhere, and the dirty looks I get are crazy. Watch them try to ban those next.
They will have to pry my mask from my cold dead hands, especially since finding a place to get jabbed is a full time job these days.
My state (maryland) actually has an online vaccine database which sounds creepy lol but is actually really helpful. I looked at it and realized I need to get a new tdap.
Our CVS/Longs here in Hawaii does that now, too. They email you your record after each vax, no more filling out the little card. But back in the day, when I got my shots at the County Health Department, they had all my vax records as well.
I am beyond thankful that my 4 year old now has all her childhood vaccines. I ended up getting her MMR a little early when Worm Brain was out here saying stupid things about it. I had my last boosters when I was pregnant in 2021 – I’ll be double checking with my doctor soon that I’m all up to date.
I swear I read that there MAY be a CORRELATION from legitimate news sources years ago when I was pregnant. Just looked it up – yes, correlation but nothing that suggests causation. But….yeah, he sucks. I assume he read an article but his brain worm doesn’t understand the difference between correlation and causation. He’s ruining our country with his lies. Not to generalize here, but the big businesses love voting and funding Republicans. So the big pharmaceutical companies whose profits are in jeopardy right now can have the day they voted for. (Except the sad thing is the everyday workers NOT the executives will be feeling the effects of the loss of profits, so I guess we’re losing no matter what.).
My guess is Tylenol correlates with nearly everything. It’s taken by most people at some point. It’s so ubiquitous it should be proven safe by consumer data alone.
It’s the one pain reliever pregnant women are allowed, so I don’t see how there’s causation there. I would guess of 1000 babies born at least 900 of the mothers took Tylenol, because pregnancy causes aches and pains.
Let’s face it, there *may*be* a correlation with EVERYTHING, considering the toxins in our air, ground water, food sources, chemicals in furniture and carpets, etc… What are we supposed to do, all live in bubbles?? :/S. SMDH (yes…this is sarcasm)
I think RFK JR is a certifiable crackpot, but I think this is coming from a recent Mount Sinai study that said there may be a correlation. That doesn’t mean you make sweeping statements and hand down public policy – it just means there should be more study into all the variables of a very complex issue.
And the expert response was very specifically worded – ““There is no clear evidence that proves a direct relationship between the prudent use of acetaminophen during pregnancy and fetal developmental issues,” Dr. Christopher Zahn, chief of clinical practice for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said in a statement Friday.’ Clear evidence, direct relationship, prudent use – this all sounds like there should be more study.
Acetaminophen was first made available OTC in the United States in 1960. So how is it just now causing this epidemic he claims we’re having? I will fight this man in the street, I swear.
He looks like a catcher’s mitt that’s been left out in the sun too long. Why wouldn’t we all want to be as healthy as that?
I think of him as the one lone hot dog, in the 7-11, that’s been left alone on that rotating pike for a few months.
I usually I’m not really sympathetic to big pharma, but in this case I hope they drag him hard.
Tylenol is the only pain reliever pregnant women are told they can take. So, why aren’t all of our kids autistic? Oh hey, same thing with vaccines?
I hate this absolutely stupid timeline.
It sure doesn’t seem like a coincidence that the one thing women can take to relieve pain during pregnancy is suddenly deemed dangerous. Let’s just go back to the days when women were “let go” for being with child.
Pain and suffering is the point. And further controlling women’s bodies and happiness. There are no scientific reasons (and a gestating woman in pain is not good for foetal development), it’s really just to make women suffer and put us back in our place
His budget and personnel cuts will jeopardize public health. Kennedy plans to focus on spirituality-based approaches instead of science-based medical treatment. He should be heckled and laughed at everywhere he goes. Gawd, I hate this administration.
You’d think autism was the plague with the way RFK Jr talks about it. He’d rather people die of preventable diseases than “catch” autism (which you can’t).
Right? He is causing so much harm! It’s infuriating.
When my now 5-year-old got their official Autism Dx a few years ago, it was suggested to us to visit a geneticist to rule out any (rare) genetic markers that are known to cause autism/autistic characteristics. I had the privilege of using one of the most esteemed pediatric genetic doctors in NYC. During our visit, I asked the counselor about the current research and how medical literature is linking Autism to “this, that, or the next thing”. She assured me that there will probably never be one particular cause for a person being diagnosed as Autistic. There are just too many variables. One thing is certain: the biggest correlation is that this neurotype is highly hereditary. It’s not that complicated! Autistic mom + dad with any neurodivergence = an Autistic baby. Duh. My child’s diagnosis led me to seek my own diagnosis, and all the puzzle pieces fell into place. Another thing to realize is that causation does not equal correlation! One prevailing hypothesis to explain the Tylonol nonsense is that there IS a strong genetic correlation between people who are hypermobile (or have hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome) and also being Autistic. Being hypermobile or having hEDS can cause heightened joint-muscular pain- especially during pregnancy, thus the need to take OTC pain meds. I am that mother. Dx’d with hEDS after my son was born. However, I never took ONE Tylenol while pregnant. It’s most probably genetics, babes. RFK Jr. is a wingnut!!!
Boom. Everything Bigcitybobo just said ^^^.
Someone should cross stitch a “correlation does not equal causation” pillow for RFK Jr’s office.
Interesting point that joint issues could result in increase in tylenol. As Bigcitybobo said: it is known there is an association between joint issues and neurodivergence.
Also: major gripe with the narrow description of autism presented in the People article. Humans developed different ways of processing info in part because humans developed in societies. All types of systems, whether ADHD, dyslexic, autistic, neurotypical, etc have their pluses and minuses and work best together. It is outmoded and incorrect to ONLY focus on the negatives (or the positives) of any one type.
🎯
You will pry my Tylenol from my cold dead hands.
Yes to all of this! Thank you for posting it and how lovely that you gained self-knowledge through your kiddo’s diagnosis. My son is also autistic and we definitely have ASD in our family tree!
So, the moron believes Paracetamol (active ingredient of Tylenol) causes autism?
I wonder what active ingredients cause stupidity?
Sorry, I just can’t. Your country’s leaders are abominations… (Not calling them clowns because I don’t wan’t to offend artists,,,)
In the US can you still access and choose to vaccinate your children even if the federal department no longer requires it? For example in Florida, what’s stopping parents from continuing to vaccinate their children? It’s not mandatory but it’s not illegal is it?
There is no federal mandate for childhood vaccines – it’s state to state. I haven’t been able to find clear information about the Florida proposal to eliminate vaccine requirements, but I imagine the issue of voluntary vaccination is whether health insurance will cover it or not. Florida has a free vaccination program, but I don’t know how the new proposal will affect that.
I think one of the issues this creates is coverage – if it’s no longer mandatory, will predatory insurance companies and pharmacy managers continue to cover it? What happens when the vaccines become prohibitively expensive so even those who would vaccinate can’t afford it? Most insurance companies cover vaccines as recommended by the CDC – what happens when that guidance is updated?
Not to mention the hit that herd immunity will take. Before vaccines were available for measles, for example, approximately 48K people got sick and 500 died (mostly children) per year. Data from the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) website. Obviously vaccine rates were at 0 at that point, but it gives you an idea of what the worst-case could look like for just one of the vaccines that were required.
For aerosol spread diseases like flu, I’d bet most insurance companies will continue covering them for their own long-term benefit. Powerful influenza strains have been known to knock the young and healthy out of commission, so more of them are willing to front $80 for a shot than a $10K/day ICU stay for a senior. I think what we’re more likely to see first is insurances arguing that they shouldn’t have to cover medical costs for parents who forego vaccination without preexisting conditions that make immunization risky. Which, hmm, may have some fair basis.
We know he doesn’t understand science, so no use trying to link this nonsense to data. The bigger question, to my mind, is what competing company does this help and who has stock in it?
Wait—I thought autism was caused by vaccines? What happened to vaccines??
@Kaiser: Tylenol (acetaminophen, or paracetamol) is generally safe *in limited doses*. It’s hepatotoxic, however, and every year, there are thousands of people hospitalized or killed by its effects.
It is not, however, AFAIK, associated with ASD. So, this is a new rabbit.
(In medical school, I once took care of a teen who attempted suicide via Tylenol overdose. He pulled through, that time, but his liver took a serious hit.)
this “report” will make the US the laughingstock of the world health and scientific communities
that ship sailed a long time ago.
I wouldn’t be surprised if that nutjob did a line of blow before he started spouting his conspiracy theories and presenting them as facts. Heaven help our nation!
This whole administration wants to control and punish women in particular. Starting with abortion and all the way through to delivery. You must birth the fetus (even if you’re brain dead). You must suffer like the good old days and have no pain relief. I’m waiting for them to ban anesthesia and epidurals next.
This is what a large block of Americans voted for. This is what we got. What we need is a revolution at this point.
I hope this discussion about the potential link between Tylenol and autism raises awareness about the importance of understanding medications. I’m curious, though—does anyone know how the combination of acetaminophen and pseudoephedrine in Tylenol Sinus Pain and Congestion Daytime Extra Strength affects those who are pregnant? I apologize for adding a link, but I found some relevant information here: https://pillintrip.com/medicine/tylenol-sinus-pain-and-congestion-daytime-extra-strength-acetaminophen-pseudoephedrine. It might help clarify the discussion!
I’m not a doctor and not qualified at all to comment on this. But if you’re sick and need to get through a day of work, this is a miracle product. For those of us who’ve never taken meth, this is probably the closest thing to what it delivers. I doubt it causes autism, but it’s probably worth being informed about other potential side effects. That article includes some side effects that honestly sound dangerous for people with compromised systems.
I want to run over my laptop with my
car every time I read about this. Pregnancy for some is AWFUL. And this jackazz is trying to make women feel guilty about using one of the few safe approved medications out there. It’s cruel, it’s insulting, it’s rage inducing.
Let the lawsuits begin. Honestly this war on corporate America is so strange, and yes pharmaceutical companies are corporate America. Piss them off and let’s see what comes.
That this repulsive croaking toad(y) is the Kennedy of this generation is just mind-blowing to me.
In my mind, the Kennedys of this generation have to be Caroline Kennedy and Maria Shriver. Also, who can ever forget the beauty and charm of JFK Jr?
prenatal vitamins have 400-800 ug folic acid in them to help prevent neural tube defects like spina bifida and reduce the risk of cleft lip and palate. The standard recommendation is 400ug and women who are trying to get pregnant are encouraged to ensure they are getting enough folic acid in their diet and/or through supplements prior to even getting pregnant. Women with a family history of neural tube defects may have as much as 4,000ug folic acid supplementation.
honestly, I just can’t with this jackass
Note: RFK Jr’s voice problems are not a poor health/breathing issue with either throat or lungs. It’s caused by spasmodic dysphonia, a rare neurological disorder that results in involuntary spasms of the muscles controlling the vocal cords, leading to a strained, broken, or breathy voice. The exact cause of the neurological issue is unknown, though it is a form of dystonia, a muscle contraction disorder originating in the brain (guess the worm ate that part).
I just took some Tylenol for my UTI. F this guy and all those MAGA shitheads.
Love the Kennedy family is putting him on blast. Haha.
What an ultra maroon.
Anything to blame women for issues with their children. 🙄 God forbid we admit sexual reproduction is just inherently risky as a venture.
Ironically, Tylenol is one of those medications that can actually be quite harmful in large doses (if you exceed 4GM/day, you’re almost guaranteed to put yourself in an ER with acute liver failure, which can be permanent if untreated), but there’s no true evidence that it’s inherently linked to mental disorders. There was a Mt. Sinai study that suggested possible correlation but nothing succinctly causative. The flip side to that is that it’s one of the few drugs you can take to reduce fever during pregnancy, which can also be very harmful to a developing fetus, so you’re picking your poison in terms of risk should we ever actually find any real data that suggests it contributes.
How did someone like RFK beget this demonic spawn??