Donald Trump’s high well being official on Wednesday stated proof doesn’t present that Kenvue’s ache medication Tylenol definitively causes autism however that it ought to nonetheless be used cautiously, a month after the president stated US well being officers would advocate limiting its use.
US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s feedback additionally come in the future after the Republican state of Texas sued the maker of the drugs, also called acetaminophen and which has been offered broadly for many years.
“The causative association … between Tylenol given in pregnancy and the perinatal periods is not sufficient to say it definitely cause autism. But it is very suggestive,” Kennedy instructed reporters, citing animal, blood and observational research.
“There should be a cautious approach to it,” he added.
Trump, who just isn’t a health care provider, in September warned pregnant girls towards taking the medicine with out citing any scientific proof. His unproven declare initially hit shares of the patron well being firm, which was spun off from Johnson & Johnson in 2023, and prompted pushback from many docs.
Kenvue has repeatedly defended the ache medication, saying there is no such thing as a scientific hyperlink to autism and warning that such ideas might endanger maternal well being.
The firm has urged the US Food and Drug Administration to reject the decision for an autism warning on Tylenol’s label, and has reportedly employed a brand new advertising and marketing chief.
“We agree, as Secretary Kennedy said, that the best message to pregnant women is to consult their healthcare professional before taking acetaminophen, which is what our Tylenol label tells consumers to do. We also agree that there is no definitive causative association between taking acetaminophen and autism,” the corporate stated in an announcement.
Kenvue shares have been down 1.4 p.c at market shut on Wednesday.
By Susan Heavey and Ahmed Aboulenein
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Kenvue’s Options Limited by Trump Tylenol Claims, Considers Beauty Unit Sell-Off
According to sources aware of the corporate, the American large is contemplating divesting belongings because it struggles with weakened buyer demand and unproven claims from the US president that Tylenol could possibly be linked to autism.