Short Wave Tylenol and Autism: What’s True and What Isn’t
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Sep 24, 2025 Helen Tager-Flusberg, an esteemed autism researcher and founder of the Coalition of Autism Scientists, discusses the recent controversial claim linking Tylenol use to rising autism rates. She highlights that increased awareness and better diagnostics contribute to higher autism prevalence. Tager-Flusberg also explains the complexities of studying acetaminophen's effects and the importance of rigorous studies on potential treatments like leucovorin. She stresses the risks of avoiding pain relief during pregnancy and advocates for understanding autism's variability and humanity.
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Diagnosis Changes Drive Prevalence Rise
- Autism diagnosis rates rose partly because awareness and diagnostic practices changed over decades.
- Broader criteria and better services explain much of the prevalence increase, not a single new cause.
Association vs Causation With Tylenol
- Observational studies show a small association between prenatal acetaminophen and autism but cannot prove causation.
- Mothers who take acetaminophen may differ in many health-related ways that confound results.
Be Skeptical Of Self-Reported Drug Data
- Expect noisy, unreliable data about acetaminophen use because most purchases leave no medical record and rely on recall.
- Treat study findings cautiously when exposure timing and dose are based on retrospective maternal reports.