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HHS is expected to link Tylenol in pregnancy to autism, but research doesn’t support it

Poynter · Madison Czopek · last updated

For years, Tylenol has generally been considered safe for treating pain and fever — even during pregnancy, when doctors discourage patients from using many medications.

Doctors might even recommend taking Tylenol for pain or fever during pregnancy, because left untreated, they can pose their own health risks.

But recent news reports about the federal government connecting Tylenol to autism have drawn fresh questions about the drug, and concerns.

A few things are clear.

After years of research, no study has shown that acetaminophen, the main ingredient in Tylenol, causes autism. There’s no known single cause of autism, a neurological condition that influences how someone acts and communicates.

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