SCOOP: Tylenol Maker Privately Admitted Evidence Was Getting ‘Heavy’ For Autism Risk In 2018

The pharmaceutical company behind Tylenol privately acknowledged the likelihood of an association between its drug in pregnancy and neurodegenerative disorders like autism in children seven years ago, company documents obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation show.

“The weight of the evidence is starting to feel heavy to me,” said Rachel Weinstein, U.S. director of epidemiology for Janssen, the pharmaceutical arm of Johnson & Johnson, in 2018. Johnson & Johnson marketed Tylenol at the time but in 2023 spun off its consumer products division into a separate company called Kenvue.

Legacy media headlines and vocal public health experts have dismissed the conclusion of President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that Tylenol taken in pregnancy and early infancy has driven rises in autism. But one stakeholder has for years viewed the evidence as credible enough to act upon, at least privately: The makers of Tylenol. (RELATED: Trump Unveils Results Of Autism Study)

The DCNF obtained the company documents from the law firm Keller Postman LLC, which brought a class action lawsuit against Kenvue in the Federal District Court for the Southern District of New York.

To be sure, much of the highly-cited research on autism spectrum disorder emphasizes genetic rather than environmental drivers. The scientific community continues to debate its causes, with many scientists agreeing that multiple factors may be at play.

The company’s FAQ webpage says that “acetaminophen is an active ingredient in all TYLENOL® products and in more than 600 other over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medicines.”

A decade before Weinstein’s email, in 2008, Johnson & Johnson began receiving queries from consumers and physicians about a possible link, emails show.

“Not much choice but to consider this a safety signal that needs to be evaluated,” J&J Office of Consumer Medical Safety Lead Andre Mann wrote in 2008 after receiving a letter from a physician with concerns.

Leslie Shur, the head of the division of Johnson & Johnson that monitors the side effects of drugs already on the market, received an alert in 2012 about concerns about acetaminophen and autism from a concerned father, with one employee writing “in case this goes to press.”

Concerns about a link between Tylenol and neurological disorders may have reached the C-suite by 2014, according to another email, which references then-Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorski.

The makers of Tylenol have closely tracked a drumbeat of scientific publications finding an association between taking the blockbuster drug in pregnancy and infancy and autism risk, other company documents show. (RELATED: Pregnant Influencers Seemingly Try To Own Trump With Tylenol)

A 2018 internal presentation the company labeled “privileged and confidential” acknowledges that observational studies show a “somewhat consistent” association between prenatal exposure to Tylenol and neurodevelopmental disorders. Another presentation slide acknowledges that larger meta-analyses — reviews summarizing multiple scientific studies — found an association, but notes weaknesses of these studies like confounding variables and subjectivity in measuring autistic traits.

“Johnson & Johnson divested its consumer health business years ago, and all rights and liabilities associated with the sale of its over-the-counter products, including Tylenol (acetaminophen), are owned by Kenvue,” a Johnson & Johnson spokesman said in a statement.

Shur did not respond to a request for comment. Mann and Gorski could not be reached for comment.

“Nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of the people who use our products,” Kenvue spokesperson Melissa Witt told the DCNF. “We have continuously evaluated the science and continue to believe there is no causal link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism.”

“Acetaminophen is the safest pain reliever option for pregnant women as needed throughout their entire pregnancy,” Witt continued. “Our products are safe and effective when used as directed on the product label. We recommend pregnant women do not take any over-the-counter medication, including acetaminophen, without talking to their doctor first.”

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