The news: Tylenol maker Kenvue’s interim CEO Kirk Perry recently met with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about a forthcoming government report that is expected to list Tylenol pain medication as a possible cause of autism, per the WSJ.

Catch up quick: Kennedy plans on producing a report this month, citing that pregnant women’s use of acetaminophen—the active ingredient in Tylenol—could potentially be a cause of autism in their children, per a prior WSJ story. The HHS’ report will also list other possible causes of the disorder. The federal health agency has called the WSJ’s reporting “speculation.”

Zooming out: Acetaminophen was first synthesized in 1878, before being introduced as a pain reliever and fever reducer in the 1950s under the brand name Tylenol. For context, acetaminophen is also combined with other ingredients that make up numerous prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications.

Tylenol is generally considered the safest and most recommended OTC pain relief option for pregnant patients. While some smaller studies have hinted at a link between autism and prenatal Tylenol use, causality remains unproven due to a lack of clear evidence.

• The largest study to date exploring the link found no evidence of increased risk of autism in children whose mothers used acetaminophen during pregnancy.
• The FDA has also concluded that there is no established link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism in children.

Why it matters: Tylenol is the most widely used OTC pain reliever during pregnancy, and is also among Kenvue’s top-selling brands. The stakes are high to set the record straight and disseminate credible medical information to the public.

• Around 65% of pregnant women in the US use acetaminophen to relieve headaches or back pain, per Harvard Health.
• Kenvue’s stock price dropped about 9% following the WSJ’s initial report, which likely prompted company executives to meet with Kennedy.

Our take: Regardless of what actually makes it into the HHS’ report, more people are hearing the possibility that prenatal Tylenol use could be a cause of autism in children. This could cause significant angst among many pregnant women who view Tylenol as a household staple.

Kenvue already states on its Tylenol product label that pregnant or breastfeeding women should talk to a healthcare professional before use. But the company should also combat misleading claims that Tylenol causes autism.

Kenvue can tap its influencer agency partners to identify women who have used Tylenol when pregnant or doctors who are mothers and have experience with the product. Content should be tailored for pregnant mom groups on TikTok and other social media platforms. Kenvue should also run awareness campaigns, specifically calling out clinical study and FDA data affirming that there’s no proven link between Tylenol and autism.

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