Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently made a public statement, claiming there might be a connection between early circumcision and an increased risk of autism. He believes this link is due to the common practice of giving infants Tylenol, also known as acetaminophen, for pain relief after the surgical procedure. Speaking to President Trump during a cabinet meeting, Kennedy cited studies suggesting that "children who are circumcised early have double the rate of autism," and he believes this is "highly likely, because they were given Tylenol." This is a significant claim from a top health official, directly questioning standard medical practices.Also Read: Tramadol, Common Painkiller Found Ineffective For Chronic Pain, May Trigger THIS Serious Health Risk Can Circumcision Cause Autism? While RFK Jr did not specify what study made this link, a similar 2015 study has been highlighted by media reports, which could be the study that is being referenced. Published in the Journal of the Royal Society Medicine, 2015, this study from Denmark tracked over 340,000 young boys and found that males who were circumcised were more likely to be diagnosed with autism before they turned 10 compared to those who were not. The researchers proposed that the pain and stress of the surgery early in life could potentially increase the risk for later problems with brain and psychological development. However, this study was criticized for the result it came to, with experts refuting the case. Also Read: Trump's Claim On Linking Tylenol And Autism Is Unscientific, According To DoctorsAre Their Studies That Refute ‘Circumcision And Autism’ Link? Published in the same journal, a 2015 review questioned the validity of the results. They found a very slight, statistically shaky link for ASD in boys aged 0–4. This link was only seen in a small group of 28 Muslim boys who were circumcised before age 2. Due to the statistics, this link really only applied to about 10 boys in the entire study. Among non-Muslim boys aged 0-4 who were circumcised, they noted only six ASD diagnoses. Furthermore, the data about Muslim boys with ASD seemed wrong. Of the 337 Muslim boys with ASD in the study, the records suggested that only 10.9% were circumcised, with the rest being uncircumcised. Critics say this number is highly unlikely to be accurate and makes the overall findings untrustworthy. Another explanation for the finding is that boys who are circumcised have more visits with healthcare workers, which could simply mean autism is detected more often in this group, not that the procedure caused it. Also Read: Tylenol And Autism: Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy Does Not Cause Autism, According To Yale DoctorWhy Only Look at Circumcision Pain? The authors of the Denmark study suggested that the link to autism was due to the pain of the circumcision procedure. Yet, critics point out a major flaw: if pain is the cause, why didn't the researchers look at other common, painful conditions? For example, urinary tract infections (UTIs) cause severe pain and are much more common in uncircumcised infants and boys. If the researchers' "pain hypothesis" were correct, then UTIs, and therefore being uncircumcised, should have been linked to a higher rate of ASD. Since they didn't examine this, their focus on circumcision pain is incomplete. The review concluded that the most likely explanation is that both an early ASD diagnosis and the decision to have an early circumcision are more likely to reflect parental conscientiousness—meaning parents who are more proactive, attentive, and engaged in their child's health and development may seek both the procedure and early developmental screenings. Why Was Autism Linked To Circumcision Through Tylenol? This claim has come after the recent announcement by the Trump administration. Announcements were made claiming that Tylenol (known as paracetamol in Australia and other countries) is linked to autism in babies when taken by pregnant women. He strongly suggested that women should "fight like hell" to avoid taking the medication. Trump told women that continuing to take the medicine means "you can't tough it out," but ultimately it's "up to you and your doctor." His firm advice was clear: "don't take Tylenol. Don't take it. Fight like hell not to take it." Trump's statements have sparked a strong disagreement among medical professionals. Health experts have stated that the alleged link between Tylenol use during pregnancy and autism is not supported by scientific evidence.
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