Washington DC: US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., serving under President Donald Trump, stated that while there is no conclusive evidence proving that Kenvue’s Tylenol (acetaminophen) causes autism, research findings are ‘very suggestive’ and warrant cautious use, particularly during pregnancy.
His remarks come about a month after President Trump announced that US health officials would recommend limiting Tylenol use, despite lacking scientific evidence to support such claims.
Kennedy elaborated that studies conducted on animals, blood samples, and human observations indicate a potential link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism, though the data remains insufficient to establish a definitive causal relationship. “There should be a cautious approach to it,” the Health Secretary emphasized during a press briefing.
Trump’s previous comments in September, advising pregnant women to avoid taking Tylenol, triggered a backlash from medical professionals and caused a temporary drop in Kenvue’s stock.
The company, which was spun off from Johnson & Johnson in 2023, has since defended the safety of its pain relief medicine, asserting that there is no scientific link between acetaminophen and autism.
In response to the controversy, Kenvue has urged the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to dismiss calls for an autism-related warning label on Tylenol packaging. The company has also appointed a new marketing chief to help navigate the fallout.
In an official statement, Kenvue said that, “We agree, as Secretary Kennedy noted, that pregnant women should consult their healthcare provider before taking acetaminophen, as our Tylenol label already advises. We also concur that no definitive causal association exists between acetaminophen use and autism.”
Meanwhile, the Republican-led state of Texas has filed a lawsuit against Kenvue, escalating scrutiny on the company’s long-standing over-the-counter medicine. By market close on Wednesday, Kenvue’s shares had declined by 1.4 percent, reflecting ongoing investor caution amid the debate.
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