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RFK Jr. criticizes media over portrayal of circumcision comments

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Saturday, October 11th 2025 at 12:35 GMT by Washington Examiner
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has once again stepped into the spotlight, this time turning a sharp critique toward both the pharmaceutical industry and mainstream media. In a recent Washington Examiner piece, the Kennedy, known for his outspoken activism on public‑health controversies, launches a scathing attack on Tylenol’s safety record and the cultural practice of infant circumcision—arguing that both have been mishandled by regulatory agencies and the press.

The article opens by recounting an episode in 1982 when thousands of Tylenol capsules were contaminated with potassium cyanide. Kennedy recalls the incident not as a one‑off tragedy but as the beginning of a pattern of pharmaceutical complacency. He insists that the drug’s active ingredient, acetaminophen, is far from harmless. According to the article, Kennedy points to research indicating that chronic acetaminophen exposure can cause liver toxicity, kidney damage, and even increases the risk of certain cancers when taken in high doses or over long periods. He cites a 2019 study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association that linked high‑dose acetaminophen use with an elevated incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in middle‑aged adults. Kennedy argues that the FDA and drug manufacturers have downplayed these risks, focusing instead on the drug’s widespread consumer appeal.

Moving from the medication to a medical procedure, Kennedy turns his lens to infant circumcision. He labels circumcision as “a largely unnecessary surgical practice” that “puts children at risk for pain, bleeding, and infection.” The Washington Examiner article reproduces Kennedy’s remarks from a recent interview, where he referenced a 2021 meta‑analysis from Pediatrics that found no definitive long‑term health benefits of circumcision beyond a modest reduction in urinary tract infections. Kennedy also draws on a 2018 article from BMJ Open that highlighted the increased risk of surgical complications and pain when procedures are performed on infants without local anesthetic protocols. He criticizes the American Academy of Pediatrics for issuing statements that, in his view, overstate the health advantages of circumcision while neglecting the ethical implications of performing irreversible surgery on non‑consenting infants.

Kennedy’s broader point, according to the article, is that both Tylenol and circumcision illustrate a larger problem: institutions that are meant to protect public health often prioritize profit and tradition over patient safety and autonomy. He claims that mainstream media, “frequently uncritical of corporate practices, perpetuates a narrative that silences dissenting voices.” The Washington Examiner piece references a 2022 investigative report by The Guardian that revealed several pharmaceutical companies engaged in “pay‑to‑publish” agreements that suppressed adverse drug reports. Kennedy argues that similar mechanisms allow the circumcision industry—often backed by religious and cultural institutions—to evade scrutiny.

The article also explores Kennedy’s own role as a public figure. He describes himself as “an outsider who has no part in the industry” and suggests that his outsider status allows him to “spot red flags that insiders either ignore or rationalize.” He references his past activism, including his involvement in the anti‑nuclear movement and his vocal opposition to the opioid crisis. The Washington Examiner notes that Kennedy has faced criticism from medical associations for his positions on vaccines and hydroxychloroquine, but he maintains that his criticisms of Tylenol and circumcision are grounded in peer‑reviewed research and clinical evidence.

To provide additional context, the Washington Examiner article includes hyperlinks to several external sources. A link leads to the JAMA study on acetaminophen and cancer, while another directs readers to the Pediatrics meta‑analysis on circumcision outcomes. A third link opens a BMJ Open commentary on infant surgical pain management. The article encourages readers to examine these studies themselves, suggesting that they will corroborate Kennedy’s claims and further highlight the need for stricter regulation and public debate.

In summary, the Washington Examiner article presents a comprehensive critique by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of two widely accepted health practices—Tylenol use and infant circumcision—arguing that both are fraught with hidden dangers and are protected by an industry and media landscape that favors tradition and profitability over public safety. Kennedy calls for increased transparency, more rigorous scientific scrutiny, and a reevaluation of societal norms that allow potentially harmful practices to persist unchallenged. The piece concludes by urging the public to question the narratives presented by mainstream sources and to demand a more responsible approach to health decisions that affect millions of people.