J&J Spinoff Kenvue Defeats Suits Alleging Tylenol Causes Autism

Kenvue Inc., a Johnson & Johnson spinoff, won’t have to face lawsuits alleging prenatal exposure to over-the-counter painkiller Tylenol caused autism after a judge rejected the scientific evidence behind the cases.

US District Judge Denise Cote in Manhattan concluded Monday that plaintiffs in more than 400 suits accusing Kenvue and other makers and sellers of acetaminophen relied on flawed science in seeking to prove an increased risk of developmental issues in babies. The ruling effectively kills a consolidation of the cases before Cote.

Kenvue shares were up nearly 5% in Tuesday morning trading.

In her pretrial ruling, Cote found ...