Tylenol faced a wave of backlash on Thursday after the White House and the Department of Health and Human Services resurfaced a 2017 post from the brand’s X account telling a consumer, “We actually don’t recommend using any of our products while pregnant,” a message amplified amid President Donald Trump’s recent claim that acetaminophen use in pregnancy causes autism. The repost drew millions of views and immediate criticism from medical groups and Tylenol’s parent company, Kenvue, which said the years-old customer-service reply was being taken out of context and reaffirmed long-standing guidance that acetaminophen remains the preferred pain and fever treatment in pregnancy when used as directed. The Washington Post reported that the administration’s accounts circulated the 2017 tweet as part of a campaign to warn pregnant people away from acetaminophen, prompting a broad online reaction and fueling confusion among expectant parents and clinicians.
The original post, sent by Tylenol’s verified account in March 2017 to a user asking about pregnancy safety, was surfaced by the White House’s X feed and other official channels, where it was presented as evidence that the company itself had once cautioned against prenatal use. Screenshots shared by the administration and by supportive commentators showed the line, “We actually don’t recommend using any of our products while pregnant. Thank you for taking the time to voice your concerns today.” News organizations verified the tweet’s authenticity and date, though Kenvue said the response did not represent its full guidance and that pregnant consumers should follow labels and talk to their clinicians—the same advice it gives today.
Kenvue issued fresh statements disputing the administration’s assertions and urging patients not to abandon a medication doctors have relied on for decades to reduce fever and treat pain during pregnancy. “There is ‘no credible evidence linking acetaminophen to autism,’” the company said, adding in a separate statement to CBS News that “independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism.” The company warned that removing acetaminophen from prenatal care plans could force pregnant people to endure high fevers or turn to riskier alternatives such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
The policy backdrop shifted this week when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it is initiating a process to update acetaminophen labeling with pregnancy-related language that acknowledges studies describing an association with some neurodevelopmental outcomes while emphasizing that causation has not been established. In a press announcement dated Sept. 22, the agency said it would also notify physicians nationally; the FDA described a “considerable body of evidence” that warrants awareness but stated plainly that “a causal relationship has not been established,” noting at the same time that acetaminophen is the only over-the-counter antipyretic generally recommended in pregnancy and that untreated high fevers pose known risks to the fetus.