(NewsNation) — Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s upcoming report on autism is expected to link the use of Tylenol during pregnancy and folate deficiencies as causes for autism.
The report being prepared is expected to include a review of previous autism research, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.
It is also expected to suggest that the use of a medication derived from folate could be used to treat autism.
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Autism has been a focus for Kennedy, who has questioned the increase in diagnosis, with 1 in 31 8-year-olds affected by the condition. He has vowed to find a cause for the condition that many researchers say is largely genetic.
Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, is an over-the-counter pain reliever generally accepted as safe for use during pregnancy, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Some studies have found an association between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism, but others have not, including a Swedish study of 2.4 million children.
Folate deficiency is another cause expected to be included, along with the suggestion that leucovorin, a medication given to chemotherapy patients, could be used to treat autism.
The report is said to take a measured approach, listing potential factors that could lead to autism and including what is known and unknown about them.
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It is not clear whether vaccines will be included. Kennedy has made statements skeptical of vaccines in the past, though no reputable studies have found any link between autism and childhood vaccinations.
Kenvue, the company that makes Tylenol, saw a sharp drop in stock price following the report.
A spokesman from Health and Human Services told NewsNation that until the final report is released, everything is speculation.
“We are using gold-standard science to get to the bottom of America’s unprecedented rise in autism rates. Until we release the final report, any claims about its contents are nothing more than speculation,” they said.
