Federal health officials are expected to raise concerns about pregnant women’s use of acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol and one of the most widely used medications globally. Officials have been reviewing previous research — including an August review by Mount Sinai and Harvard researchers — that suggests a possible link between Tylenol use early on in pregnancy and an increased risk of autism in children. They plan to warn pregnant women against using Tylenol early on unless they have a fever, according to the four individuals.
In addition, officials plan to tout a lesser-known drug called leucovorin as a potential autism treatment. Leucovorin is typically prescribed to counteract some medications’ side effects and to treat vitamin B9 deficiency. Early double-blind, placebo-controlled trials administering leucovorin to children with autism have shown what some scientists describe as remarkable improvements in their ability to speak and understand others. Officials at the Food and Drug Administration have recently been reviewing language that could apply to the drug.
The report, expected this month from the Department of Health and Human Services, is likely to suggest as being among the potential causes of autism low levels of folate, an important vitamin, and Tylenol taken during pregnancy, people familiar with the matter said.
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The report is expected to suggest other potential causes of autism and suggest further study, people familiar with the matter said. It couldn’t be determined if the report will mention vaccines, which Kennedy for years has said might cause autism.