Washington DC - Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will soon release a report claiming the use of pain relief drugs during pregnancy is linked to the development of autism.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the report will attempt to tie autism to the use of Tylenol and low levels of the vitamin folate by pregnant women.

It will also reportedly tout folinic acid, a form of folate, as a way to decrease symptoms of the disorder.

Tylenol, a generic version of acetaminophen, is one of the most widely used over-the-counter pain relievers in the US, and has been recommended to pregnant women for decades.

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Folate supplements have also been recommended during pregnancy as it is important in the development of the child's brain and spine, and can prevent neural tube defects.

In recent years, rates of autism in the US have rapidly risen. In a 2022 study, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 1 in every 31 children was diagnosed with autism by age 8.

Kennedy, who was a prominent anti-vaccine advocate prior to being appointed to head HHS by President Donald Trump, has long pushed debunked conspiracy theories about autism, specifically claiming the rise in autism diagnoses is influenced by vaccinations.

Back in April, he vowed to release a report by September that would reveal the causes of what he calls the "autism epidemic."

In response to the WSJ report, an HHS spokesperson insisted RFK Jr. was "using gold-standard science to get to the bottom of America's unprecedented rise in autism rates," adding that claims about the promised report's contents are "nothing more than speculation."

CNN reports that there have been multiple large studies done in recent years looking into links between autism and the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy, with most finding evidence to be inconclusive.

In a response to the WSJ report, the Autism Science Foundation said that "any association between acetaminophen and autism is based on limited, conflicting, and inconsistent science and is premature given the current science," further explaining that autism "doesn't have a single cause" as it is "the result of a complex mix of genetics and environment."

Dr. Christopher Zahn, chief of clinical practice for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, also said in a statement that there is "no clear evidence that proves a direct relationship between the prudent use of acetaminophen during pregnancy and fetal developmental issues."

"Neurodevelopmental disorders, in particular, are multifactorial and very difficult to associate with a singular cause," Dr. Zahn added.

"Pregnant patients should not be frightened away from the many benefits of acetaminophen, which is safe and one of the few options pregnant people have for pain relief."