The stock of Tylenol maker Kenvue is crashing after a WSJ report according to which Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to announce that pregnant women’s use of an over-the-counter pain medication is potentially linked to autism in a report that will also suggest a medicine derived from folate can be used to treat symptoms of the developmental disorder in some people.
The report, sourced to “people familiar” and expected this month from the Department of Health and Human Services, is likely to highlight low levels of folate, an important vitamin, and Tylenol – which has been mass produced since 1955 – taken during pregnancy as well as other potential causes of autism.
Kennedy’s department also plans to pinpoint a form of folate known as folinic acid, or leucovorin, the people said, as a way to decrease the symptoms of autism, which affected roughly one in 31 eight-year-olds in the U.S. in 2022.
Tylenol, whose active ingredient is acetaminophen, and has been used for decades, is a widely used pain reliever, including by pregnant women. While a handful of previous studies indicated risks to fetal development, others have found no association. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says it is safe to use in pregnancy, though it recommends pregnant women consult with their doctors before using it, as with all medicines.
Tylenol is made by McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a division of Kenvue, and other companies make similar acetaminophen-based products.
“Nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of the people who use our products,” a Kenvue spokeswoman told the WSJ. “We have continuously evaluated the science and continue to believe there is no causal link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism.”
Of course in a market where nobody is surprised when crazy things come out of left field late on Friday, the stock of KVUE plunged, losing 12% of its value because RFK Jr., long leeches, short tylenol pair trade was taking on water in recent decades.
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