A $40B bet on Tylenol; long-term melatonin use; daily vaping doubles among U.S. teens – Morning Medical Update

A $40B bet on Tylenol

Kimberly-Clark will acquire Kenvue, the Johnson & Johnson spinoff behind Tylenol, Band-Aid and Neutrogena, in a deal worth up to $48.7 billion. The merger creates a consumer health powerhouse but comes as Kenvue faces lawsuits and political scrutiny over unproven claims linking acetaminophen use in pregnancy to autism. President Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have amplified those concerns, though regulators maintain evidence remains inconclusive. Despite investor unease, Kimberly-Clark is betting that Tylenol’s trusted name — and a $32 billion brand portfolio — will endure beyond the controversy. The New York Times has more.

Long-term melatonin use

Extended use of melatonin supplements may carry cardiovascular risks, according to preliminary findings to be presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2025. Researchers analyzed five years of electronic health records for more than 130,000 adults with insomnia and found that those who used melatonin for at least a year were nearly twice as likely to develop heart failure and 3.5 times more likely to be hospitalized for it compared with non-users. The melatonin group also showed higher all-cause mortality (7.8% vs. 4.3%). Investigators cautioned that the observational design cannot establish causation, but the results challenge the perception of melatonin as a harmless, “natural” sleep aid.

Daily vaping doubles among U.S. teens

Even as overall youth vaping rates have fallen, adolescents who continue to vape are becoming more heavily addicted, according to new research from the Keck School of Medicine of USC published in JAMA Network Open. Between 2020 and 2024, the proportion of teen vapers who used e-cigarettes daily nearly doubled — from 15.4% to 28.8% — and the share who tried but failed to quit rose from 28.2% to 53%. Researchers analyzed data from more than 115,000 students in grades 8, 10 and 12 nationwide and found a sharp increase in daily vaping, particularly among rural teens.