Shares of Kenvue, the new parent of Tylenol, have tanked. This decrease comes on the heels of news that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to introduce a similar connection between the pain relief drug and autism at a soon-to-be held gala. Investors and the medical community are deeply concerned over reports of acetaminophen safety, called paracetamol in the UK. This issue is particularly acute for pregnant women.
US physicians have over decades promoted Tylenol as the go-to safe choice for pain relief during pregnancy. This is particularly important in situations where ibuprofen—marketed under the brand name Advil—is contraindicated. And now Kenvue is fighting off dozens of current lawsuits. These lawsuits claim that taking Tylenol while pregnant can increase the risk of autism in children. These alarming findings were just published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. It ultimately found no evidence to suggest that taking acetaminophen while pregnant could lead to a child developing autism. This new meta-analysis examined 46 previously published epidemiological studies. It showed a split outcome: 27 studies associated acetaminophen usage with elevated risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, nine showed no substantial relationship, and four indicated protective effects.
Last week, a US District Court judge in federal court dismissed all the lawsuits that have been filed against Kenvue. He concluded that the expert witnesses had not supplied valid scientific knowledge regarding acetaminophen’s connection to autism. The plaintiffs are currently appealing this dismissal to a US appeals court. This ambiguity only deepens the confusion enveloping the topic.
The recent turmoil has taken a toll on Kenvue’s stock performance. Shares plummeted by as much as 14% before regaining ground to end down 9.5% on Friday. To counter the surge of controversy, Kenvue has doubled down on its commitment to vigorously defend its product.
“We have continuously evaluated the science and continue to believe there is no causal link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism.” – Kenvue
In 2021, a global coalition of 91 scientists and clinicians released a consensus statement. They cautioned against taking acetaminophen while pregnant because of mixed research results. According to the CDC, autism is diagnosed in about one in 31 American children. This increasing rate has brought critical scrutiny of the medications physicians routinely prescribe to pregnant women.
According to Dr. Nathaniel DeNicola, another OB-GYN interviewed by the New York Times, there’s a torrent of new studies still coming. A lot of healthcare providers believe that this current data doesn’t really impact their recommendations.
“The conclusion of the paper is that Tylenol should be used judiciously in the lowest dose, least frequent interval.” – Dr. Nathaniel DeNicola
Kenvue wants you to know that it’s essential for expecting mothers to consult healthcare professionals before taking any OTC medications. This covers over-the-counter mainstays such as acetaminophen.
“We advise expecting mothers to speak to their healthcare professionals before taking any over-the-counter medications, including acetaminophen.” – Kenvue
Debates over the safety of acetaminophen are heating up. At the same time, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been in the news, announcing that the truth behind the “autism epidemic” is about to be revealed.
“By September we will know what has caused the autism epidemic.” – Robert F Kennedy Jr
Tylenol’s increasingly contentious safety profile in pregnancy serves to underscore a key point. The medical community stands firm in their commitment to safeguard the health of mothers and their children. Pending appeals and new research will soon determine how the public should perceive acetaminophen. These advances might influence upcoming regulatory guidance on its use.