Tylenol maker Kenvue blasts Trump administration's autism claim
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The Johnson & Johnson spinoff that sells Tylenol is defending the medicine's safety profile as it comes under attack from the Trump administration.
Why it matters: The over-the-counter drug is a critical product for Kenvue, anchoring the company's "self-care" segment, which brings in about 42% of its total revenue.
Catch up quick: President Trump and his top health officials are expected to draw a link between autism and the use of Tylenol during pregnancy at a White House event on Monday afternoon, Axios' Adriel Bettelheim reported.
- Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has promoted debunked theories about the disorder, said conclusions from a government report on the causes of autism would be revealed this month.
- Trump is due to appear with Kennedy, CMS administrator Mehmet Oz and others Monday afternoon.
The big picture: The mention of a connection revives a medical controversy over the use of Tylenol's active ingredient, acetaminophen, early in a pregnancy.
Driving the news: Kenvue, in a statement, said "acetaminophen is the safest pain reliever option for pregnant women as needed throughout their entire pregnancy" and that "rigorous research, endorsed by leading medical professionals and global health regulators, confirms there is no credible evidence linking acetaminophen to autism."
- "We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism. We strongly disagree with any suggestion otherwise and are deeply concerned with the health risk this poses for expecting mothers."
The impact: Kenvue shares were down over 6% in mid-day trading Monday and are now down 20% in the last month amid the heightened scrutiny over Tylenol.
What they're saying: "This development is particularly damaging as it threatens to reverse a recent positive trend, where Tylenol had been achieving market share gains," CFRA Research analyst Ana Garcia tells Axios in an email. "Consequently, the potential for demand disruption casts a shadow over KVUE's turnaround trajectory."
Flashback: Kenvue spun off from J&J in 2023.
- The company sells J&J's former consumer health products, including the Tylenol, Band-Aid, Listerine and Neutrogena brands.
What we're watching: Whether the administration's allegations will undermine sales of acetaminophen remains to be seen.
