Kenvue’s interim CEO is defending Tylenol’s safety after President Donald J. Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. linked the pain reliever to autism and crashed the company’s shares.
In a memo shared with around 20,000 employees, Kenvue Interim CEO and Director Kirk Perry stressed that many credible public health and medical professionals maintain that Tylenol is safe for women to take during pregnancy.
Here is the full memo, which Perry also shared on LinkedIn:
Kenveuers,
As this week comes to a close, I want to thank you, again, for the resilience you’ve shown.
Difficult as it has been, it is clear to me that this team is guided by science and passionate about caring for others. What has been so encouraging this week is the groundswell of independent, credible public health and medical professionals from all around the world who shared their voices – everyone from the World Health Organization to local family doctors.
That’s because acetaminophen is the safest pain reliever option for pregnant women as needed throughout their entire pregnancy.
I want to reassure you that we will continue to live our Value to Earn Trust with Science – because it’s the right thing to do and nothing matters more to us than the health and safety of people using our products.
We have over a decade of rigorous research, endorsed by leading medical professionals and global health regulators, confirming there is no credible evidence linking acetaminophen to autism. The Tylenol brand has been trusted for generations and will be trusted for generations to come.
I firmly believe that moments like these are when you see true character and I’ve been incredibly proud of how each of you has shown up. Thank you for working to bring science to the consumers who need our products.
Our Purpose is more than words on a page, and I am counting on you all to stay focused on realizing the extraordinary power of everyday care.
With gratitude,
Kirk
Trump and RFK Jr. have heavily promoted an unproven claim that acetaminophen/Tylenol use in pregnancy contributes to autism, with Trump saying the FDA would caution against Tylenol for pregnant people and touting leucovorin as an autism treatment, while RFK Jr. has previewed a report linking prenatal Tylenol to autism and endorsing folinic acid therapy; leading medical groups and experts responded that high‑quality studies do not show a causal link and that acetaminophen remains an appropriate option in pregnancy.
Shares decline
Shares of Tylenol parent company Tylenol have declined 22% in the past month amid the speculation.
In a statement to Fortune, Kenvue said it is “deeply concerned” about the confusion resulting from recent announcements.
“We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism,” a spokesperson told Fortune in an emailed statement. “We strongly disagree with any suggestion otherwise and are deeply concerned about the health risks and confusion this poses for expecting mothers and parents.”
“Acetaminophen is the safest pain reliever option for pregnant women as needed throughout their entire pregnancy,” the company continued. “Without it, women face dangerous choices: suffer through conditions like fever that are potentially harmful to both mom and baby or use riskier alternatives. High fevers and pain are widely recognized as potential risks to a pregnancy if left untreated.”
While lawsuits alleging a connection have previously failed in federal courts due to insufficient scientific evidence, analysts say future government announcements or heightened public concern could affect consumer behavior and sales, Fortune‘s Sasha Rogelberg reported last month. However, experts believe proving a legal or scientific case remains challenging, and Kenvue’s actual acetaminophen sales have so far shown resilience despite both litigation and headlines surrounding the autism claim