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The Tylenol lawsuits claim that acetaminophen use during pregnancy could connect to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children. Individuals who took Tylenol, Paracetamol, Excedrin, Goody’s, or Backaid Inflammatory Pain Formula during their pregnancy and have a child who has received an ASD diagnosis could be entitled to recover damages related to their children’s diagnoses.
Acetaminophen can also be present in other other-the-counter (OTC) medications, including NyQuil/DayQuil, Mucinex, Robitussin, and Alka-Seltzer Plus.
Our law firm is investigating cases on behalf of individuals who consumed one of these acetaminophen products while they were pregnant, and their child developed autism.
Since 1955, we have represented individuals who suffered injuries from defective drugs, medical devices, and products. Our firm founded the premier mass torts conference—Mass Torts Made Perfect—where thousands of attorneys gather twice a year to learn from our lawyers how to best handle these types of cases. Our attorneys are listed in Best Lawyers in America and The National Trial Lawyers Hall of Fame.
We will bring the skills and experience that have brought results for our clients to your case. Call us today or complete the Acetaminophen Autism Free Case Evaluation Form on this page.
Plaintiffs in the lawsuits in the Tylenol autism MDL allege that their use of OTC generic acetaminophen products while pregnant exposed fetuses to acetaminophen, causing plaintiffs’ children to develop autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or both.
Defendants in the acetaminophen autism lawsuits include Johnson and Johnson, major retailers, as well as makers of generic acetaminophen.
According to the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML), the lawsuits share several common questions of fact:
As a result, the MDL actions share common general causation, background science, and regulatory history.
In the JPML’s opinion, this overlap of central factual issues, parties, and claims warranted the creation of a single MDL On October 5, a Transfer Order was issued, centralizing for pretrial proceedings in the Southern District of New York under the Honorable Denise L. Cote.
Initially, 18 actions were pending across seven districts, but this number continues to grow. As of March 16, 2023, 107 actions were pending in the MDL 3043 (IN RE: Acetaminophen – ASD/ADHD Products Liability Litigation).
Plaintiffs allege that the defendants in the MDL No. 3043 (in re: Acetaminophen – ASD/ADHD Products Liability Litigation) knew or should have known that Tylenol and acetaminophen products cause autism in children when consumed during a mother’s pregnancy.
Our lawyers are investigating cases in which the injured “child” has received a diagnosis of autism or ASD and is currently under the age of 18 years old.
We recommend that you save all potential evidence, such as:
Defendants in these cases would include the makers of branded acetaminophen OTC medications, including:
If your child’s mother took generic acetaminophen products, the retailer that sold the medications could be named in the lawsuit. Examples include:
The number of Tylenol autism lawsuits continues to grow, but none of these cases have been settled or gone to trial. As such, there are currently no numbers to report in this area.
That being said, the science behind the association between acetaminophen and autism appears strong. Furthermore, the defendants in these lawsuits have substantially deep pockets that could result in hefty settlements and jury payouts.
Juries in these cases would likely see a payout as affected children’s only opportunity to receive compensation for their lifelong ASD, and this insight could prompt generous verdicts.
The amount of compensation a plaintiff receives in a Tylenol and autism lawsuit would depend on the severity of the child’s autism. Severe cases in which a child needs a lifetime of medical care would generate higher case values.
The presence of other risk factors, including complications during pregnancy or delivery, as well as a history of autism in the child’s family could affect settlement and payout outcomes.
According to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, the purpose of acetaminophen (the generic name for Tylenol) is to relieve pain and fever. It is an active ingredient in hundreds of medicines—including over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription.
Acetaminophen is used by millions of people. According to research published by the National Library of Medicine in 2023, more than 60 million people in the U.S. use the drug on a weekly basis. The global acetaminophen API market is valued at $1.15 billion.
Researchers acknowledge that acetaminophen’s mode of action “is not clearly understood,” and yet the drug has been marketed as safe for use in pregnancy.
Studies indicate that APAP is used by up to 65% of pregnant women.
On January 9, 2015, the agency issued a drug safety communication in response to reports that raised questions about the safety of OTC and prescription OTC pain medicines during pregnancy.
Although the FDA acknowledged that medicines like opioids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and acetaminophen can help alleviate severe and persistent pain during pregnancy—thereby averting the anxiety, depression, and high blood pressure that could accompany untreated pain—the agency urged consumers to “carefully weigh the benefits and risks of using prescription and OTC pain medicines during pregnancy.”
Mayo Clinic describes ASD as “a condition related to brain development that impacts how a person perceives and socializes with others, causing problems in social interaction and communication. The disorder also includes limited and repetitive patterns of behavior.”
Because autism manifests as a wide range of severity and symptoms, the word “spectrum” is part of the phraseology that identifies this condition.
Currently, no cure for ASD exists.
Symptoms of Autism
Typically the signs and symptoms of autism present themselves within the first year of a child’s life. Children with ASD could appear to develop at a normal rate up to the first year, then begin to regress between 18 and 24 months of age. At this point, the symptoms of autism develop.
Parents who are concerned about their child’s development should share their concerns with their child’s doctor. A physician can conduct tests to identify significant delays.
Our law firm started handling personal injury cases in 1955. Today, we are recognized as a national leader in lawsuits involving drug injuries. We have received over 150 jury verdicts for $1 million or more, and have won jury verdicts and settlements in excess of $30 billion.
We are the founder of Mass Torts Made Perfect. This is a national conference attended by 1,500 lawyers each year where we teach how to successfully handle lawsuits against drug companies. For more information, please visit our About Us section.
Our lawyers provide free confidential case evaluations, and we never charge any fees or costs unless you first recover.
The contingency fee we charge ranges from 20% to 40%. The amount we charge is based on how much we recover for you. To review a summary of our fees and costs, click Fees & Costs.
To contact us for a free case evaluation, you can call us at (800) 277-1193. You also can request an evaluation by clicking Free & Confidential Tylenol Evaluation Form. This form will be immediately reviewed by one of our attorneys handling the Tylenol lawsuits.
February 9, 2023
Can Acetaminophen During Pregnancy Cause Autism/ADHD in Children?
January 10, 2023
Mother of Autistic Son Weighs in on Lawsuit Blaming Tylenol
November 9, 2022
Is Tylenol Safe During Pregnancy? Expert Raises Alarm About Possible Link to Autism, ADHD.
October 28, 2022
Debate Over Possible Acetaminophen-Autism Link Heads to Court
October 6, 2022
Mass tort launched for claims that acetaminophen caused autism, ADHD
Nature Reviews Endocrinology (2021 September)
“Paracetamol Use During Pregnancy — A Call For Precautionary Action”
This Consensus Statement from an international group of expert clinicians, epidemiologists, and basic scientists concluded with a recommendation that acetaminophen be used by pregnant women “cautiously at the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible time.” The scientists also urged that the drug’s packaging should include warning labels to this effect. The statement was prompted, in part, by epidemiological studies suggesting that prenatal APAP exposure could increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder and other adverse neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes.
Jama Psychiatry (2020 February)
“Association of Cord Plasma Biomarkers of In Utero Acetaminophen Exposure With Risk of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder in Childhood”
The authors of this study expressed their objective to expand the understanding of the relationship between maternal acetaminophen use during pregnancy and increased risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in their children—beyond self-reporting by mothers.
The cohort study analyzed 996 mother-infant dyads, a subset of the Boston Birth Cohort, who were enrolled at birth and followed up prospectively at the Boston Medical Center from October 1, 1998, to June 30, 2018. The researchers concluded that “the cord biomarkers of fetal exposure to acetaminophen were associated with significantly increased risk of childhood ADHD and ASD in a dose-response fashion.” The authors indicated that the study results supported previous studies of the association between prenatal and perinatal acetaminophen exposure and childhood neurodevelopmental risk and “warrant additional investigations.”
JAMA Psychiatry (2019 October)
“NIH-Funded Study Suggests Acetaminophen Exposure In Pregnancy Linked to Higher Risk of ADHD, Autism”
This study, conducted by the John Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, analyzed data from a long-term study of factors that influence pregnancy and child development. Called the Boston Birth Cohort, this study gathered umbilical cord blood from 996 births and measured acetaminophen amounts in each sample. Children with the highest levels of the drug in their cord blood were found to be nearly three times as likely to be on the autism spectrum compared with children who had the lowest levels of acetaminophen in their cord blood.
Autism Research (2016 September)
“Maternal Use of Acetaminophen During Pregnancy and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Childhood: A Danish National Birth Cohort Study”
Researchers concluded that prenatal exposure to acetaminophen is associated with elevated risk for autism spectrum disorder. The authors underscored the need to gather additional data from carefully conducted observational studies.
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