Local doctor, autism service provider weigh in on Tylenol use

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The announcement from President Donald Trump about a link between the use of Tylenol during pregnancy and autism is sparking conversations in Western New York.

On Monday, President Trump announced the FDA believes the use of acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, during pregnancy can be associated with an increased risk of autism.

“I think the answer is complicated,” said Dr. Stephen Turkovich, the president of Oishei Children’s Hospital. “There is some concern, but I think we’ve jumped to conclusions before we have all the information.”

Dr. Turkovich pointed to a recent study published in August 2025 that may explain where the claim comes from.

“It looked at 46 different studies,” said Dr. Turkovich. “In 27 of those studies, there was an association between Tylenol use in pregnancy and the risk of autism, ADHD, and other neuro developmental disorders.”

Turkovich said it’s important to understand there’s a difference between association and causation, meaning even if studies show a potential association, it doesn’t prove that Tylenol directly causes autism.

“We don’t know if Tylenol actually causes an increased risk of autism,” said Dr. Turkovich. “We do see that some studies show there is a potential association, so more study is really needed.”

Local autism service providers, such as The Summit Center, said this announcement is creating unnecessary worry among parents.

“It does change the focus of the conversation away from, what I think, is the most important part which is how you can help your child at that moment in time and give them what they need to be independent and successful in their lives,” said Amy Jablonski, the president of The Summit Center.

Jablonski also said the announcement is unfairly portraying autism in a negative light.

“This notion that we have to fix these people or cure these people or that we want to eliminate autism I think is really hard for some people on the spectrum to digest,” said Jablonski. “Every pregnancy is different, every individual is different. Your doctor should know you and hopefully tailor their recommendations to you and your particular needs.”

Both Jablonski and Dr. Turkovich said regardless of this announcement, if you are pregnant and need some sort of pain management, you do not need to feel guilty for taking Tylenol.

They encourage you to contact your OBGYN to find out what options are available for you.