Kenvue, Tylenol maker, rebuts Trump’s claim linking painkiller to autism, calls it ‘safest’ for pregnant women; here’s what the company said after US govt’s warning

Kenvue, the company that markets Tylenol, reacted to the Trump administration's claims linking it with autism and asking women to limit its usage during pregnancy. The company, which is a spinoff of Johnson and Johnson, rejected the notion of a link between the use of its product during pregnancy and autism.

"We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism," Melissa Witt, a spokesperson for Kenvue, said in a statement on Monday evening (September 22, 2025), as quoted by NYT News Service. "We strongly disagree with any suggestion otherwise and are deeply concerned with the health risk this poses for expecting mothers and parents."

US President Donald Trump said that the US Food and Drug Administration will notify doctors that the use of Tylenol by women during pregnancy can be associated with a “very increased risk of autism.”

“They are strongly recommending that women limit Tylenol use during pregnancy unless medically necessary,” such as to treat fever, “if you can’t tough it out,” Trump said, as quoted by CNN. Trump also linked the disorder to childhood vaccines. Notably, decades of science do not support these claims.

While addressing a news conference at the White House, Trump repeatedly urged pregnant women and parents of young children to use or administer the over-the-counter painkiller. The advice from Trump, who also pointed out, "I'm not a doctor," goes against that of medical societies, which cite data from numerous studies showing acetaminophen plays a safe role in the well-being of pregnant women, as reported by news agency Reuters.

Tylenol maker calls ‘Acetaminophen’ safest pain reliever option

The Tylenol maker also said that it “strongly disagrees” that acetaminophen, sold under the brand name Tylenol, causes autism and said it is “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 said, as quoted by CNN.

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“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.”