The announcement of Trump’s autism leaves Tylenol’s parent company with the public relations crisis

The control of damage is on the right track, because the mother company of Tylenol rushes to dissipate the unsightly affirmation of the American president Donald Trump according to which the use of Tylenol during pregnancy is linked to the autistic spectrum disorder.

“Do not take it. Fight like hell so as not to take it,” said Trump on Monday, connecting the active ingredient of the halonometer, the acetaminophen, on the condition.

There is no conclusive evidence that safeguarded the association, warn the experts. Kenvue, who is tylenol, said about the same thing.

Look | Trump’s comments draw immediate professional health repression:

Trump establishes an unproven link between autism, acetaminophen

There was immediately a decline in medical experts and a large drug manufacturer after US President Donald Trump said without evidence that pregnant women should not take acetaminophen as it can cause autism.

“We believe that independent and solid science clearly shows that the taking of acetaminophen does not cause autism,” a spokesperson said in a statement to CBC News. “We are strongly disagreed with any suggestion otherwise and we are deeply concerned about the health risks and the confusion that this poses to wait for mothers and parents.”

However, Kenvue must now discover a major public relations crisis, experts at CBC News said.

“The burden of evidence is the responsibility of the company to reintroduce their security measures,” said Carol Levine, CEO and co -founder of Energi Pr.

Manage a crisis

Tylenol’s fallout could last a long time, said Julie McCarthy, co-founder and president of the Public Relations Company based in Toronto, Bluesky Communications.

“Keep an eye on the conversation and try to face disinformation, while balancing it with specific information … It is a difficult task,” she said, adding that the company will probably have to monitor how this situation takes place for a while, especially on social networks.

However, she said, the brand benefits from being a familiar name of decades. In addition, the support that Tylenol obtains from credible organizations and the experts goes very far, she added.

“In any crisis, and in particular this one, the speed makes a huge difference,” said McCarthy, adding that the Kenvue Declaration came quickly and included scientific information, as well as “a language with which people can resonate”.

The concern is that medical disinformation is getting worse – and health care and pharmaceutical care companies are already struggling to maintain public confidence, said Levine of Energi PR.

“I don’t see this as one-off,” she said. “Today is tylenol; tomorrow it will be something else. These are vaccines. Then another medication. Who knows where it will end.”

For this reason, she says, Kenvue and his competitors should work together on public relations campaigns that educate the public.

“There is an opportunity here for competitors to snuggle up in the same tent,” she said. “Together, they represent a stronger voice.”

Companies could also collaborate with patient organizations, she said, such as those specializing in autism, creating information campaigns using stories of people with lived experience.

“This would be the perfect time to invigorate scientific communications with webinaries and videos and really go to the public most affected by this.”

“A makeup project”

Trump’s comments could lead to more than just public relations crisis, as health care providers are stuck by managing the benefits with patients.

Several experts have told CBC News that they fear that people who have taken Tylenol during pregnancy can feel guilty or confused following Trump’s comments. They have warned that this can also encourage patients to opt instead for drugs that are not as safe. For example, Advil, or Ibuprofen, is not already recommended after 20 weeks of pregnancy, due to potential serious complications.

“It was a truly disappointing comment to hear as a health care provider,” said Dr. Darine El-Chaar, spokesperson for the Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC).

Many organizations around the world – including the SOGC, the European Medical Association and the World Health Organization – have reaffirmed existing medical advice and have reiterated that there are no solid scientific evidence supporting Trump’s claims. Even the Food and Drug Administration of the United States admitted that “a causal relationship has not been established” between acetaminophen and neurological conditions, despite its intention to put safety labels on the packaging of Tylenol.

Look | An overview of medical studies used by the Trump administration:

I tried to understand Trump’s argument that Tylenol causes autism | On this subject

US President Donald Trump has clear advice for women using tylenol during pregnancy: don’t. Andrew Chang examines the studies that Trump administration has used to establish a link between acetaminophen and autism to break the argument for advice – and why medical experts do not agree. Images provided by Getty Images, The Canadian Press and Reuters.

For the moment, patients manage contradictory information.

El-Chaar says that his own patients have since asked if Tylenol was safe and that comments have the potential to stigmatize autistic people.

She added that this situation takes occupational care professionals away on which they are supposed to concentrate.

“This is a makeup project,” said El-Chaar. “Our efforts should be devoted to the search for therapies and breakthroughs instead of correcting disinformation.”