United States Health Secretary claims circumcision "highly likely" linked to autism
A statement that follows a pattern of spreading medically unsupported claims and is not backed by evidence.
For months, the debate over Tylenol and pregnancy has been fueled by United States President Donald Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., with both warning expectant mothers against taking the common painkiller.
On Thursday, Trump reiterated the message, telling pregnant women to "tough it out" instead of using Tylenol, doubling down on a claim that has no scientific basis. This topic has been widely debated recently, and below there's an example of it (minute 26).
Now, Kennedy, a conspiracy theorist and vaccine skeptic with no professional background in science or immunology, escalated the controversy during a Cabinet meeting by linking early childhood circumcision to autism.
He claimed that children who undergo the procedure are "highly likely" to develop the condition because they are given Tylenol afterward, a statement that follows a pattern of spreading medically unsupported claims and is not backed by evidence.
As health secretary, he has dismantled long-standing advisory systems and encouraged guidance that scientists warn could put Americans at risk. His history includes false claims about vaccines, COVID-19, wireless technology, and other public health issues.