From PBS NewsHour.

After years of scientific research, no study has shown that acetaminophen, the main ingredient in Tylenol, causes autism.

During a cabinet meeting on Thursday, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called it "irresponsible" for pregnant women to take Tylenol, saying it could lead to autism in their child.

Yet, while some scientific research shows an association between Tylenol use during pregnancy and autism, there’s also scientific research that shows no association between the two. An "association" is also not the same as "causation."

In other words, research showing an association between Tylenol use during pregnancy and autism does not mean one caused the other.

Meanwhile, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine both say that acetaminophen is a safe way to treat pain and fever when used in moderation and in consultation with a physician during pregnancy.

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