Tylenol Autism Lawsuit – Acetaminophen Autism
Drug taken in Pregnancy linked to Autism Risk
Our law firm is investigating Tylenol (acetaminophen) autism lawsuit claims. If you are a mother who took Tylenol or other acetaminophen drugs while pregnant, and then gave birth to a child who was later diagnosed with autism, we will evaluate your potential case.
As of February 2023, more than 80 lawsuits have been filed in U.S. District courts against stores that sell brand-name pain relievers. Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens are among named defendants in the suits. Each raises allegations claiming pharmacies and drug manufacturers failed to warn consumers of the risk of autism following prenatal exposure to acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol and other pain relievers. Plaintiffs are currently arguing to have the courts consolidate the cases to eliminate duplication of discovery and contradictory judges’ orders, and serve the convenience of the parties, courts, and witnesses.
What is Acetaminophen?
The FDA definition of acetaminophen includes a liver damage warning, but no warnings about its potential dangers to children:
“Acetaminophen is an active ingredient in hundreds of (OTC) and prescription medicines. It relieves pain and fever (and) can also be combined with other active ingredients in medicines that treat allergy, cough, colds, flu, and sleeplessness. In prescription medicines, acetaminophen is found with other active ingredients to treat moderate to severe pain. Acetaminophen can cause serious liver damage if more than directed is used.”
We may file or settle a claim individually or as part of a group on a case-by-case basis.
Whether your claim is filed individually or as part of a group fighting the same defendant, our goal is always to provide each of our clients with individual attention.
Acetaminophen (APAP)/Autism Acceptance Criteria
Our law firm is accepting cases in which a mother took one of the following forms of Acetaminophen or Paracetamol (APAP) while pregnant, and then gave birth to a child who was later diagnosed with autism:
- Tylenol
- Excedrin
- Nyquil/Dayquil
- Rite Aid Private Label Brand
Additional Case Acceptance Criteria:
- Mother under age 38 at time of birth
- Child diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Child is under age 18 today
- Child must have been at least 36 weeks at time of birth
- Would like to know if Doctor approved use of APAP – but not a disqualifier
Disqualifiers:
- Consumption of alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, or SSRIs during pregnancy
- Born before the 35th week of pregnancy
- Gestational diabetes
- Mother over age 38 at time of birth
- Mother or Father diagnosed with autism
JAMA Published Psychiatry Study
Children whose mothers ingested Tylenol while pregnant may face a higher risk of developing ADHD and autism, says a recent study. Published in 2020 in JAMA Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University researchers reported children with the highest levels of acetaminophen metabolites in their cord blood at birth face higher risk of developmental disorders.
Related: Consensus Statement from Researchers
Researchers studied 996 mother-infant pairs from the Boston Birth Cohort enrolled at birth, then followed them up at Boston Medical Center from October 1, 1998, to June 30, 2018. The Boston Birth Cohort includes only single birth babies not conceived with in vitro fertilization and born without major birth defects
The study measured three cord blood acetaminophen metabolites in each infant umbilical cord plasma sample collected at birth.
Study Showed 70 Percent of the Children Suffered Some Disorder:
- One-quarter of the study children were diagnosed with ADHD.
- 6% of the children were diagnosed only with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
- 4% were diagnosed with both ADHD and Autism.
- 30% were diagnosed with other developmental disabilities.
- One-third of the children had normal neurodevelopment with no disabilities.
All the cord blood samples contained detectable levels of acetaminophen metabolites; however, cord blood biomarkers and fetal exposure to acetaminophen were linked with significantly increased risk of childhood ADHD and autism.
When researchers compared the children with the highest and the lowest levels of acetaminophen in the cord blood samples, children with the highest levels were more likely to suffer neurodevelopment disorders. Those children were nearly three times as likely to have been diagnosed with ADHD and nearly four times as likely to have autism.
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Other Studies Suggest or Demonstrate Link
That 2019-published study appears to corroborate others researchers’ findings. Another, published online January 1, 2020 by Cambridge University Press, linked Tylenol to language development delays. Those authors suggested, “pregnant women should limit their use of this analgesic during pregnancy.”
Another study showed girls whose mothers took more than six acetaminophen tablets were nearly six times more likely to suffer language delays. Girls whose mothers’ urinary concentrations of acetaminophen were highest were more than 10 times more likely to suffer language delays than the urinary concentration of girls whose mothers’ concentrations were the lowest.
Those authors wrote: “Our findings support previous studies regarding the association between prenatal and perinatal acetaminophen exposure and childhood neurodevelopmental risk and warrant additional investigations.”
According to additional research published June 2021 in the European Journal of Epidemiology, of nearly 74,000 mother-child pairs, children exposed to Tylenol during pregnancy were 19% more likely to have autism spectrum disorders, and 21% more likely to have ADHD symptoms compared to non-exposed children.
Due to the potential acetaminophen pregnancy risks, researchers from Columbia University warned doctors in 2020 to re-evaluate pain meds for pregnant women, after finding prenatal exposure may lead to impaired neurodevelopment in the fetus.
PubMed reported in 2017: “Evidence had emerged that the U.S. autism epidemic initiated by acetaminophen (Tylenol) is aggravated by oral antibiotic amoxicillin / clavulanate (Augmentin) and now exponentially by herbicide glyphosate (Roundup).”
Tylenol (Acetaminophen) Autism Lawsuit
Contact an experienced drug injury attorney today or call (888) 923-7001 for a free legal consultation regarding a potential Tylenol (acetaminophen) autism lawsuit.