U.S. Health Secretary to Reveal Potential Autism Link with Tylenol Use in Pregnancy
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is set to announce a troubling association between the over-the-counter pain reliever Tylenol, produced by Kenvue, and autism in pregnant women, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal on Friday. This announcement reportedly lacks concrete evidence to support such claims.
In the forthcoming report, Kennedy will also propose that folinic acid, a medication derived from folate, might alleviate autism symptoms in certain individuals, the WSJ noted.
Following the news, Kenvue’s stock experienced a significant decline of 14%. Tylenol, which contains acetaminophen, is widely used by expectant mothers for pain relief.
The upcoming report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, headed by Kennedy, is anticipated to explore the potential connection between low folate levels and Tylenol consumption during pregnancy as a contributing factor for autism.
In response to this report, Kenvue stated that they believe there is no direct causal relationship between Tylenol use during pregnancy and autism. The company urges expectant mothers to consult healthcare professionals before using any over-the-counter medications, including Tylenol.
According to Kenvue, both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and prominent medical organizations support the safety of acetaminophen and endorse its use during pregnancy, as indicated on product labels.
The Department of Health and Human Services declined to comment on the matter.
Kenvue and its parent company Johnson & Johnson have previously faced scrutiny regarding the potential association between Tylenol and autism claims. In December 2023, a federal judge dismissed numerous lawsuits alleging that taking Tylenol during pregnancy could lead to autism, disallowing expert testimonies due to a lack of scientific backing.
Following that ruling, all associated cases were dismissed in August. A U.S. appeals court is expected to review the decision next month, according to court filings.
Recently, Children’s Health Defense, a group formerly led by Kennedy that opposes vaccines, has highlighted possible links between Tylenol and autism on social media. They referenced a study published in August that suggested a correlation between acetaminophen use by pregnant women and neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism, in their children.
The researchers of the study recommended that medical guidelines advise pregnant women to use the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration. They also underscored the necessity for further research to substantiate such links, cautioning that untreated fevers during pregnancy could result in other fetal complications, including neural tube defects.
Conversely, some studies have not identified a relationship. A 2024 investigation published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which analyzed data from 2.4 million children born in Sweden, found no evidence supporting a causal link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism.
Christopher Zahn, the chief of clinical practice for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, emphasized the absence of substantial evidence linking reasonable acetaminophen use during pregnancy to fetal developmental issues. He noted that neurodevelopmental disorders are complex and not easily attributed to a single cause.
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