What we know, and don't, about the link between painkillers and autism

What we know, and don't, about the link between painkillers and autism Scientific evidence is lacking to support the US government's decisions to caution against using a common painkiller in pregnancy and fast-track the approval of an experimental medication for autism On Monday, the US government announced two initiatives related to autism . It will update labelling on the common painkiller paracetamol, also called acetaminophen, warning use during pregnancy may increase the risk of autism and ADHD in children . It will also approve a drug called leucovorin for use in some children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Neither of these moves is based on robust scientific findings, and they are likely to have minimal effect on autism rates in the US. The announcement comes after the country's highest ranking public health official, Robert F Kennedy Jr, pledged in April to identify the causes of autism by the end of September.