FILE PHOTO: Tylenol is displayed for sale at a pharmacy in New York City, New York, U.S., September 5, 2025. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper/ File Photo

(Reuters) - 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. The stock rose marginally on Friday.

Until the final report is released, any claims about its findings are speculative, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said in an emailed response.

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.

Assertions of a potential link have been the focus of lawsuits brought by parents and autism activists in the United States against retailers.

Ashley Keller, an attorney leading the litigation over claims Tylenol taken during pregnancy can cause autism in offspring, said he would flag a statement from the HHS on the alleged connection to the U.S. appeals court considering whether to revive the lawsuits.

The suits were dismissed after a judge said the scientific evidence the plaintiffs had cited was inadequate.

"I would anticipate if HHS follows through and does the right thing, I am going to alert the (United States Court of Appeals for the) Second Circuit to that," said Keller. "It's completely relevant."

According to researchers, there is no firm evidence of a link between the use of the drug and autism.

(Reporting by Sriparna Roy and Sneha S K in Bengaluru and Diana Novak Jones in Chicago, Editing by Pooja Desai)