Doctor on CNN Reacts To RFK Jr. Claiming Circumcision Can Lead to Autism
CNN host Erin Burnett introduced a doctor to her show on Thursday to react to Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s claim that circumcision can lead to autism.
Kennedy cited two studies on Thursday to suggest that Tylenol use in children post-circumcision could be responsible for higher rates of autism.
“There are two studies that show children who are circumcised early have double the rate of autism, and it’s highly likely because they’re given Tylenol,” Kennedy said.
Reacting to the secretary’s remarks on her show Erin Burnett Outfront, CNN host Erin Burnett said, “Kennedy did not detail the studies or any other evidence to back up his claims, which of course come after Kennedy and President Trump have both linked Tylenol use during pregnancy to autism, despite decades of evidence that it is safe.”
She continued, “Claims like this get made, and it can be really scary for people. Obviously, most people circumcise their children. Are you aware of any studies or evidence to back up Secretary Kennedy linking circumcisions to autism?”
Dr. Scott Hadland, chief of adolescent medicine at Mass General Brigham for Children, responded, “This conversation that has been really sort of erupted today has prompted a lot of us to take a look at the data and just make sure that we’re not missing something. It is very clear – I’ve looked at the two studies that the secretary mentioned – it is very clear that there is not a strong evidence base that links circumcision to autism.”
He concluded, “Pediatricians actually recommend circumcision as something that families might choose because the benefits outweigh the risks, and this discussion today doesn’t change how we think about that.”
Pediatricians elsewhere in the world, including the U.K. and Europe, generally do not recommend circumcision for infants, recommending the practice only for those with certain medical issues.
Watch above via CNN.
