Kenvue’s interim CEO Kirk Perry met Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to try and dissuade him from listing Tylenol as a potential cause of autism in an upcoming report, the Wall Street Journal said on Friday, citing a person familiar with the matter.
Perry argued at the hastily scheduled meeting this week that there was no clear link between the two, the report said.
WSJ reported on September 5 that the U.S. health secretary planned to announce that the use of Tylenol, a popular over-the-counter pain medication, in pregnant women was potentially linked to autism – contrary to medical guidelines that say it is safe to use.
Kenvue shares fell more than 9% to $18.62 after the report last week, but have since recovered slightly.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
As we would with any regulator who reaches out to us, we engaged in a scientific exchange with the secretary and members of his staff as it relates to the safety of our products, Kenvue said in an emailed response.
The company said it continues to believe that taking acetaminophen – the active ingredient in Tylenol – does not cause autism and that global health regulators, independent public health organizations and medical professionals agreed.
Kenvue executives have also argued that there are few safe alternatives to acetaminophen to reduce fevers in pregnant women, according to the WSJ report.
According to researchers, there is no firm evidence of a link between the use of the drug and autism. Recent studies have yielded conflicting conclusions on whether its use during pregnancy might create risks for the developing fetus.
Wall Street analysts view Kenvue as an acquisition target after it came under pressure from investors, who have criticized its lackluster performance.
