Tylenol and Autism?
With the current US administration announcing this week that the use of Tylenol (AKA paracetamol, or acetaminophen) during pregnancy increases risk of neurodevelopmental conditions, namely autism, and that pregnant people should “tough it out” during pregnancy instead of taking one of the only safe medications to reduce pain and fever, it’s time to look to science for the truth.
This observational study from Japan used a nationwide database of children born between 2005 and 2022, looking at acetaminophen prescription dispensation records of the mothers and neurodevelopmental outcomes in the children.
This study showed a slight correlation between maternal acetaminophen use and neurodevelopment in the child (particularly ADHD). However, this study clearly discusses that this correlation does not indicate causation, highlighting inconsistencies between siblings, and suggest that the association could be explained by positive reporting biases, thus making no definitive causal link between acetaminophen use and neurodevaloptmental outcomes during pregnancy. This and many other studies discuss other relationships such as the genetic inheritance of neurodivergent conditions, and the increased need people with these conditions have for pain management. It is clear there are multiple factors at play and this case has highlighted the importance of reading the scientific literature at its source!
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Yusuke Okubo, Itaru Hayakawa, Ryo Sugitate, Hiroki Nariai