Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ignited a firestorm Thursday after claiming there may be a connection between circumcision and autism — a statement that drew immediate backlash from medical experts who called the remarks irresponsible, misleading, and scientifically unsound.

“There’s two studies which show children who are circumcised early have double the rate of autism — it’s highly likely, because they were given Tylenol,” Kennedy told President Trump during a televised cabinet meeting.

Kennedy did not identify the research he was citing. The claim appears to reference a 2015 Danish study that tracked more than 340,000 boys, which found a modest statistical association between early circumcision and autism diagnoses before age 10. But even the study’s authors cautioned against drawing causal conclusions, noting that pain or stress from surgery was only a speculative hypothesis — not proven science.

Critics were far less charitable. Pediatricians and epidemiologists said Kennedy’s comments distort the data and risk spreading dangerous misinformation about both circumcision and acetaminophen, commonly known by its brand name Tylenol.

“The idea that circumcision causes autism is not supported by credible evidence — period,” said Dr. Alicia Porter, a pediatric neurologist at Johns Hopkins. “This kind of statement confuses correlation with causation and undermines parents’ confidence in safe, routine medical practices.”

Independent researchers have repeatedly found that any observed links between acetaminophen use and autism are weak, inconsistent, and riddled with confounding variables, such as underlying infections or higher medical surveillance among certain populations.

A 2024 Irish study, in fact, found that circumcised boys with autism exhibited improved behavioral outcomes and reduced sensory issues compared to uncircumcised peers — directly contradicting Kennedy’s suggestion.

“Cherry-picking data to fit a theory is not science,” said Dr. Mark Rosenfield, a professor of pediatric pharmacology at Columbia University. “What’s dangerous here is not the Tylenol — it’s the erosion of trust when senior officials promote fringe theories on national television.”

Rabbi Nechemia Markovits, a fifth-generation mohel based in Brooklyn who has performed circumcisions for nearly four decades, told the New York Post he’s never recommended Tylenol for newborns following the bris.

“The procedure is quick and well-tolerated,” he told The Post. “If there’s mild discomfort, parents can use a gentle topical spray. I personally guide families through healing — it’s safe and natural.”

Rabbi Markovits said Tylenol is used only in rare cases for older children who experience soreness, emphasizing that linking the medication or the ritual itself to autism is “nonsense.”

Kennedy’s comments came two weeks after President Trump himself questioned Tylenol’s safety for pregnant women, saying it “is not good unless they have a high fever” and claiming it could raise autism risks in unborn children.

“There’s a tremendous amount of proof or evidence, I would say as a non-doctor,” Trump said, echoing Kennedy’s remarks. “Just don’t take it. You have to tough it through sometimes.”

Medical authorities say otherwise. Acetaminophen has been safely used for over 70 years, and remains one of the most studied and trusted pain relievers on the market. The Food and Drug Administration has repeatedly found no causal link between the drug and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Autism diagnoses have increased dramatically in recent decades — up nearly 400% since 2000, with 1 in 31 American children now affected, according to the CDC. But experts attribute that rise largely to expanded diagnostic criteria and greater awareness, not environmental or pharmaceutical causes.

Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic turned cabinet official, has faced similar criticism for promoting fringe health theories. Thursday’s remarks mark the latest in a series of controversial claims that put him at odds with the scientific consensus — and once again raise questions about his credibility at the helm of the nation’s public health apparatus.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)