RFK Jr. criticizes Danish study on acetaminophen and autism
Danish study of 1.5 million children finds no link between acetaminophen in pregnancy and autism, contradicting RFK Jr.'s high-profile claims.
Objective Facts
A research letter published April 13, 2026 in JAMA Pediatrics by researchers at Copenhagen University Hospital, led by Kira Philipsen Prahm, studied more than 1.5 million children born between 1997 and 2022 using national prescription records to identify prenatal acetaminophen exposure. Among 31,098 children exposed to Tylenol in the womb, autism was diagnosed in 1.8% of exposed children versus 3% of unexposed children; the lack of association persisted even after researchers accounted for individual risk factors including dose and pregnancy trimester. This directly contradicts a September 2025 announcement when President Trump said pregnant women should not take Tylenol because of its autism link; national and international medical groups have since decried the president's comments as not evidence-based. As of April 2026, Health Secretary RFK Jr. softened his position, saying evidence does not show that Tylenol definitively causes autism but should still be used cautiously.
Left-Leaning Perspective
Left-leaning outlets and medical organizations published extensive coverage criticizing RFK Jr. and Trump's acetaminophen-autism claims. CNN reported that national and international medical groups have decried the administration's comments as not evidence-based. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists President Dr. Steven J. Fleischman stated that such suggestions are "highly concerning to clinicians" and "irresponsible when considering the harmful and confusing message they send to pregnant patients." Skeptical Raptor blog expressed skepticism that RFK Jr.'s MAHA movement would stop making unsubstantiated claims despite the new evidence. FactCheck.org and PolitiFact conducted detailed analyses showing that the studies Kennedy cited do not support his conclusions. Left-leaning commentators emphasized the practical harm from Kennedy's warnings. Media outlets noted that a prior study found Tylenol use in emergency departments dropped 16% immediately after the administration's announcement. Critics highlighted that acetaminophen is often the only safe pain reliever option during pregnancy, and untreated fever carries documented risks to both mother and fetus. These outlets consistently framed Kennedy's claims as scientifically unfounded and potentially dangerous to maternal and fetal health. Left-leaning coverage focused on what it characterized as Kennedy's disregard for evidence and willingness to undermine public health messaging. Outlets scrutinized the studies Kennedy relied upon, showing methodological flaws and conflicts of interest—particularly highlighting that the Patel et al. preprint he cited was funded by WPLab, Inc., led by William Parker, who actively promotes the acetaminophen-autism link.
Right-Leaning Perspective
Right-leaning coverage and Republican responses were limited and largely supportive of Kennedy's broader health agenda, with one notable exception. At April 16, 2026 House hearings, Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah), one of the few Republicans to offer criticism, cited research showing no link between acetaminophen and autism and shared how his wife felt blamed for their son's autism upon hearing Kennedy's claims. Moore stated he was "underwhelmed with what we [the Administration] ultimately put out." Meanwhile, most Republicans praised Kennedy's efforts. Rep. Aaron Bean (R-Florida) told Kennedy at the same hearing that "great things are happening" and praised his efforts on food dyes and nutrition in medical schools. On the broader Tylenol-autism issue, some right-leaning state officials doubled down on the administration's messaging. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit in October 2025 against Tylenol makers, framing it as holding "Big Pharma accountable for poisoning our people," using the MAHA slogan to align with Kennedy's agenda. However, the April 2026 Danish study received limited explicit right-wing media coverage in available sources. Right-leaning outlets did not prominently challenge the acetaminophen-autism link in the coverage examined, with most Republican energy focused on other aspects of Kennedy's health agenda, such as his efforts to address chronic disease and reduce processed foods in the food supply.
Deep Dive
The April 13, 2026 Danish study represents a significant evidentiary moment in an ongoing dispute about RFK Jr.'s health claims. The study's large size (1.5 million children) and rigorous methodology—using national prescription records and adjusting for confounding variables—made it the most comprehensive examination to date of prenatal acetaminophen exposure and autism risk. The finding that autism rates were actually *lower* in exposed children (1.8% vs. 3%) contradicts not just Kennedy's claims but even suggests a protective effect, though researchers were cautious about over-interpreting this. Kennedy's original claims in September 2025 relied on weaker evidence: a 2013 ecological study comparing autism and circumcision rates across countries (with only eight countries in the sample), and a 2015 Danish study on circumcision—neither of which directly examined acetaminophen use. When the authors of the 2015 study explicitly stated they had "no data on painkillers or anesthetics used" and were "unable to address the [acetaminophen] hypothesis directly," Kennedy was misrepresenting their findings. A 2025 review by Harvard researchers (Baccarelli et al.) that the administration cited had methodological issues and the author had financial interests in Tylenol litigation. By contrast, the April 2026 Prahm study used objective prescription records and controlled rigorously for confounders. What remains unresolved: whether the April study definitively closes the question or merely adds weight to skepticism. Left-leaning outlets and medical organizations treat it as closing the case. Right-leaning figures, including most Republicans, simply shifted away from the topic rather than defending the original claims or acknowledging error. RFK Jr.'s own move to cautious language (evidence doesn't show it "definitively" causes autism, but use it "cautiously") was a strategic retreat that avoids admitting the initial claims were wrong while preserving space to argue for precaution. The real stakes are twofold: the practical impact on pregnant women's willingness to use acetaminophen (with documented harms from untreated fever), and the broader question of whether RFK Jr.'s approach to identifying autism causes is scientifically sound or perpetuates stigma.