RFK Jr. Is Now Linking Circumcisions to an Increase in Autism Rates
RFK Jr. did not cite any evidence when making claims about the connection.
Published Oct. 10 2025, 12:12 p.m. ET
On Oct. 9, 2025, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK) shocked the medical community when he claimed that there was a tie between early circumcision and autism. The comment was made during a cabinet meeting, when the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services said that he was aware of multiple studies that backed these claims up, despite not sharing any information about which studies they were, or any other details about the findings they contained.
RFK Jr's claims that circumcision is linked to autism come hot on the heels of another claim he's made about the condition. In Sept. 2025, he claimed that there was a connection between Tylenol use in pregnancy and autism, sending shockwaves through the medical community. Tylenol immediately spoke out about the claims, as did many medical professionals, calling RFK's claims inaccurate, and in some instances, straight up dangerous.
You can learn more about what RFK Jr. is saying below.
RFK Jr. claims circumcision causes autism.
The U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary was seated at a table with other leaders, including Donald Trump, when he made the claim, according to USA Today.
“There’s two studies that show children who are circumcised early have double the rate of autism," he said at the time. "It’s highly likely because they are given Tylenol." Circumcision is a procedure that is typically performed on newborn babies, where they use a local anesthetic to numb the penis before removing the foreskin.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the procedure can take seven to 10 days to heal from. During that time, some parents will give their children an over-the-counter pain reliever like Tylenol to help deal with any discomfort or pain.
Despite a lack of evidence to back up his claims, Scientific American believes that RFK Jr. was referencing a study from 2013 and a study from 2015, which claimed to show a link between the procedure and an increase in autism rates.
However, in the years since they were published, researchers and leaders in the field seemed to have debunked the findings that were published, with one expert calling the methods used to conduct the studies "appalling," according to the publication.
Experts say that Tylenol is safe to use in pregnancy and infancy.
Several medical professionals and organizations have come out to reassure parents and caregivers of the safety of using Tylenol, both in pregnancy and for things like circumcision recovery.
In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) shared a "Fact Checked" statement, reinforcing the safety of the medication. Then, the AAP chided the administration for spreading falsehoods about Tylenol for creating a potentially life-threatening situation.
"Misleading claims that the medicine is not safe and is linked to increased rates of autism send a confusing, dangerous message to parents and expectant parents and does a disservice to autistic individuals," the AAP posted on its website.
As always, this article is not meant to serve as a substitution for medical advice. If you have questions about whether or not Tylenol is safe to use in your pregnancy, or to give your child, you should contact your healthcare provider directly.