Does Tylenol, otherwise known as acetaminophen, cause Autism? Weirdly enough, this seems to be a highly disputed and debated question lately. This conversation sparked when President Trump said that women should just “tough it out” while pregnant. In saying this, he upset a lot of people, including many doctors and other medical professionals. So what are the facts and fallacies of this statement?
Before going any further, we must get the definitions of causation and correlation correct. Causation, simply put, is the act of causing something, while correlation can be two things within the same data set that do not have a definite connection. Local doctor, Dr. Samantha Purdy, says, “We are very fortunate to live in an age where we need not rely solely on people’s opinions for medical advice. Thanks to decades of peer-reviewed research, we can safely and confidently confirm there is no reason to believe Tylenol causes autism.” She went on to explain that there are strict guidelines that researchers must adhere to while conducting their investigations.
Once someone presents their data, it is investigated even further to ensure there is no bias in the study, and peer review studies are performed to see if the same results are achieved. Literature and data that fail to meet these standards are often referred to as “junk science”. Many peer-reviewed studies show no causation between Tylenol use (in pregnancy or otherwise) and autism. The reports that were recently presented in the media by those outside of the medical research field as evidence of a link, unfortunately, failed to meet these rigorous standards and are not considered credible evidence by anyone with the knowledge and expertise to critically analyze data. The situation is very misleading for those who do not understand the nuances of scientific research. One news source reported that it is more dangerous for a pregnant woman to continue to run a fever than it is for her to take Tylenol.
In conclusion, the data shows that it is safer to take Tylenol and prevent the effects a high fever can have on a fetus than not to and worry about something that is not clearly and definitely linked. Another takeaway is that it is safer to take the opinion of medical professionals more seriously than people who do not have the same knowledge.
