Are you prepared for this crisis headache?

We always warn about the importance of being crisis-ready.

But does your crisis communication plan include the powers that be suddenly warning people not to use your product?

No? Well, that was the challenge faced by Kenvue this week.

The pharmaceutical company has been at the centre of a remarkable crisis after US President Donald Trump warned he believed there was a link between autism and pregnant women using its Tylenol product.

In an extraordinary White House press conference, the President blamed acetaminophen – Tylenol’s active ingredient (and known to us as paracetamol) - for causing autism.

He said that Tylenol, "is no good" and that pregnant women should "fight like hell" to only take it in cases of extreme fever.

With just one press conference, a widely used over-the-counter pain relief medication was on everyone’s lips.

How has the brand managed the crisis?

What seems clear is that the company, a two-year-old spinoff from Johnson & Johnson, knew something was coming and had planned for the worst.

The brand’s website has a reassuring instant pop-up.

It says: “We stand with science, and we stand with you.”

And it adds that the product is “one of the most studied medications in history”.

It goes on to say: “The facts remain unchanged: over a decade of rigorous research, endorsed by leading medical professionals, confirm there is no credible evidence linking acetaminophen to autism.”

The pop-up links to a detailed Q&A page, which says that “credible, independent scientific data continues to show no proven link between taking acetaminophen and autism”

It adds that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, the Autism Science Foundation, and the American Academy of Pediatrics agree.

It also issued a strongly worded media statement that said: “We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism,” the statement said.

“We strongly disagree with any suggestion otherwise and are deeply concerned with the health risk this poses for expecting mothers.”

Its crisis communication has been timely, calm, and clear, with easy-to-understand language. I particularly like this line on its Q&A: “Our best advice? Talk to your healthcare professional before taking or administering acetaminophen.”

Its response has been robust, but it has avoided criticising what was said in the White House.

Instead, it leaned on the science and has pointed people to credible third-party sources of information, which offers reassurance.

And, if you look at the headlines, it seems to be winning the medical argument, with President Trump’s claims facing pushback.

And Kenvue’s shares bounced back on Tuesday.

But we live in a world where almost anything can be polarising and views are increasingly entrenched. Including on health advice.

And facts, like those calmly presented by Kenvue, alongside other credible organisations, may not be enough to win over people who now view Tylenol with concern.

For some, facts don’t matter. They have a new scapegoat. That means the memes, conspiracy theories, sceptics, and misinformation are likely to continue to grow on social media.

And that could still shake consumer trust and cause people to think twice about buying the product.

So, the crisis is unlikely to be short-lived.

Its strong initial crisis response will need to continue.

It must continue to monitor what is being said and rapidly tackle misinformation.

What does all this mean for you and your crisis media management?

It is a reminder of the importance of expecting the unexpected in crisis media management.

Tyrenol has been at the centre of attention this week.

But who knows what the Trump administration might suddenly put under the microscope next week? Or the one after.

Any organisation or sector could be in the firing line.

As ever with crisis media management, being able to communicate quickly to gain some control of the narrative is crucial.

But what happens in America doesn’t stay there.

We might not call it Tylenol, but the news here has been dominated by the safety of paracetamol. As I write this crisis communication blog, the story dominates every radio news bulletin. And there is widespread coverage in newspapers and online among UK titles.

We are not immune to the pain of the fallout.

For those in healthcare or pharmaceutical comms, it is an issue you can expect your spokespeople to be asked about in upcoming interviews.

It was a ‘while you are here’ question we put to the delegates of our client we were delivering media training for on the day of the White House press conference.

Could your spokespeople answer questions about it without distracting from the main message you want to get across?

As for Tylenol, it is a brand with an impressive crisis comms history, with its handling of a cyanide-laced capsule crisis in the 1980s often cited as an example of best practice.

It may need to draw on that experience to overcome this latest PR headache.

Media First are media and communications training specialists with nearly 40 years of experience.

We have a team of trainers, each with decades of experience working as journalists, presenters, communications coaches and media trainers.

Click here to find out more about our crisis communication training courses and crisis management testing.