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Robin Keetch
English 1010.40
Dr. Sean George
20 October 2015
Acetaminophen: The Real Enemy
Autism is becoming an epidemic in the United States. According to WebMD, autism is a
complex neurobehavioral disorder that includes impairments in social interaction and
developmental language and communication skills combined with rigid, repetitive behaviors.
This disorder ranges in different levels of debilitation, symptoms, and skills. It can span
anywhere between a minor handicap that can moderately alter a normal life, to a devastating
disability that may require institutional care. (WebMD) Autistic children have a difficult time
expressing themselves, communicating, and understanding feelings. (WebMD) No one knows
exactly what causes autism. There are many different theories including: genetics, prenatal and
perinatal factors, abnormalities of the nervous system, and factors in the environment.
(Wikipedia) It is theorized and argued that the mercury-based preservative in vaccinations,
and/or the MMR vaccine, is a cause for children to develop the disorder. (Kirk) Because of this
theory, many people have stopped immunizing their children. Yet new studies prove
acetaminophen (the main ingredient of Tylenol) to be the culprit of the disease.
The MMR-autism controversy is largely due to a study done by Dr. Andrew Wakefield.
Dr. Wakefield and cohorts published a paper in 1998 where they reported that twelve children
had inflammatory bowel symptoms and other autistic symptoms soon after receiving the MMR

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vaccination. (Brown 1) This paper has since been discredited. In 2010, the General Medical
Council called the paper dishonest and irresponsible, and it was retracted from The Lancet (a
peer-reviewed medical journal) claiming it didnt have enough supporting evidence. (Brown 1)
In all fairness to Dr. Wakefield, his paper sparked more studies and research to be done on the
MMR vaccine and autism.
In Japan, the MMR vaccination was only available between 1989 and 1993. This made
Japan an ideal place to conduct research on the link between the MMR vaccine and autism. A
study was done on three different groups: pre-MMR period, MMR period, and post-MMR
period. (Honda 578) These were the findings: the number of autism cases during the MMR
period had actually decreased, and the number of autism cases after the MMR vaccination was
discontinued had increased dramatically. The conclusion to this study was that even though the
MMR vaccine was not being used, autism rates continued to climb, finding no evidence MMR
causes autism. (Honda 578)
In the United States, the MMR vaccine is routinely given between the ages of 12 to 18
months old, with a second dose given around 4-5 years old. The measles vaccination has been
common practice since 1963. Then it combined with the mumps and rubella vaccines, and has
been routinely given since 1971 (making it the MMR vaccine.) (Wikipedia) Before the 1980s,
there were very few cases of autism in the United States. (Good 365) After the 1980s, the
number of autism cases shot up. In fact, the total number of cases doubled, doubled again, and by
1995 the number of diagnoses had increased more than ten times the number of cases in 1980.
(Good 365) Pangborn, a biomedical researcher, conducted a study. Before 1980, 50-60 percent of
autistic children were abnormal from birth, and 40-50 percent of children regressed into autism
around 18 months of age. (Good 365) These rates began to change around 1980. These were his

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findings: the onset-at-birth type [of autism] had increased 3-4 times, and the onset-at-18 months
type [of autism] had increased more than 10 times what it was before 1980. He concluded that,
most of the autistic population now appeared to have an acquired disease by something that we
werent doing 20 years ago. (See chart below.)(Good 365) The predominant something we
werent doing 20 years ago was administering and ingesting so much acetaminophen.

William Shaw, Ph.D., director of the Great Plains Laboratories, had been studying autism
for years. When he saw the small percentage rates of autism in Cuba, he decided to look further.
The vaccination rate in Cuba is 99 percent, and by 6 years of age they have had 34 shots,
compared to 85 percent vaccination rate in the U.S. With a population of 1 million, there are only
185 cases of autism, which is 0.00168 percent. In the United States, 1 in 88 children (up to age 8)
have autism, which is 1.18 percent. (Kirk) So, why the great difference in numbers? In Cuba,

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acetaminophen is never given with vaccinations and is only available by prescription. (Kirk)
Medical authorities in Cuba say that a fever is normal and even a favorable side effect of
vaccinations, proving that the bodys immune system is accepting and appropriately responding
to the challenge of the vaccination. (Kirk) However, their rule is not to give medication unless
the fever is over 104 degrees and lasts for more than two days. (Kirk) Shaw concluded that the
acetaminophen being given after vaccinations is the culprit to the sharp rise in the autism
epidemic.
The way that acetaminophen is metabolized by the liver can give an explanation linking it
to autism. Glutathione, which is an antioxidant produced by our bodies, is an extremely
important molecule because it protects our cells from toxins and oxidative stress. (Citrolo) When
acetaminophen hits our liver, it turns into a toxic chemical called NAPQI. (Good 366) The
NAPQI chemical then requires a huge amount of glutathione to make it less toxic. (Kirk) So
when that huge quantity of active glutathione is being taken from the body, more importantly
from the liver, the bodys immune system is being depleted. (Kirk) Not only does too much
acetaminophen affect the immune system, but it affects brain development. (Kirk) This could
explain why autistic children have weak immune systems and developmental disabilities with
social and emotional behaviors. (Kirk) Acetaminophen is easy to overdose on because it can
happen in extremely small doses. Dr. William Shaw states, the concentration of
acetaminophen in infant Tylenol liquid is high enough to produce toxic reactions, including
possible liver damage with repeated doses over several days. (Kirk) Since 1978, American
pediatricians have regularly given and recommended acetaminophen to be given with
vaccinations to reduce fever and pain; and in some instances, it was even advised to be given five
days before immunizations. (Kirk) This same year, childrens aspirin was taken off the shelves

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because of previous studies linking it to Reyes Syndrome. (Kirk) According to a study done in
California, once acetaminophen use increased and aspirin use decreased, autism rates
skyrocketed. (Good 367)
It is apparent that autism is becoming a pandemic in the United States. The number of
diagnosed disorders has skyrocketed since the 1980s. Even though the MMR vaccine has been
thought to be a cause of the disease, the theory is being overridden. More and more studies are
proving acetaminophen to be the offender. Maybe acetaminophen will eventually be taken off the
shelves like childrens aspirin was in the 1970s.

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Works Cited
Bhandari, Smitha. What is Autism? Rev. of What is Autism? WebMD. Web. 22 Oct. 2015
www.webmd.com/brain/autism/understanding-autism-basics
Brown, Katrina F., et al. "UK Parents' Decision-Making about Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)
Vaccine 10 Years After the MMR-Autism Controversy: A Qualitative Analysis." Vaccine
30.10 (2012): 1855-64. ProQuest. Web. 26 Oct. 2015.
Citrolo, Danielle, and PharmD. "Glutathione Supplementation may Boost Immune Function.
Glutathione: The Body's most Protective Antioxidant and Best Kept Secret."
Valley

Morning Star. Jul 24 2014. ProQuest. Web. 22 Oct. 2015 .

Good, Peter. "Did Acetaminophen Provoke The Autism Epidemic?" Alternative Medicine
Review 14.4 (2009): 364-372. Academic Search Premier. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.
Kirk, Hanno. "New Link to Autism Epidemic." The Charleston Gazette. Apr 17 2012. ProQuest.
Web. 26 Oct. 2015 .

Honda, Hideo, Yasuo Shimizu, and Michael Rutter. "No Effect Of MMR Withdrawal On The
Incidence Of Autism: A Total Population Study." Journal Of Child Psychology &
Psychiatry 46.6 (2005): 572-579. Academic Search Premier. Web. 27 Oct. 2015.
MMR vaccine. Wikipedia. N.p. n.pag. Oct 11 2015. Web. 22 Oct. 2015
https//:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MMR_vaccine

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