Recent studies have shown that women who use Tylenol or other medications containing the pain reliever acetaminophen during pregnancy are more likely to give birth to a child with an autism spectrum disorder. Pregnant women who use acetaminophen are also more likely to have children with attention defect hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
If your child was born with autism or ADHD and you or a loved one used Tylenol or other acetaminophen products during pregnancy, you may be eligible to file a claim and receive compensation.
To start the process of filing your claim today, contact the lawyers at Hissey Mulderig & Friend by calling toll-free at 1-866-806-8117, or by filling our our free claims form on the right side of this page.
➢ Acetaminophen During Pregnancy Linked to Autism & ADHD
Doctors have recommended for years that pregnant women use Tylenol or acetaminophen during pregnancy to lower fever or for pain relief because it was believed to be safer than aspirin or other pain relievers. However, several recent studies have shown that by using Tylenol or acetaminophen, mothers may have inadvertently exposed their child to an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or ADHD.
When pregnant women use Tylenol or other acetaminophen products for pain relief, they are metabolized by the body into a chemical that causes oxidative stress, which is then passed through the placenta to the fetus. Oxidative stress is believed to increase the risk of developing both autism and ADHD.
According to a 2018 study published by the American Journal of Epidemiology, women who used Tylenol or acetaminophen for more than 28 days during pregnancy are 20% more likely to give birth to a child with autism spectrum disorders and 30% more likely to give birth to a child with ADHD.
A 2019 study funded by the National Institutes of Health also found that using Tylenol or acetaminophen during pregnancy was linked to an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder and ADHD. Researchers in the study found that children with increased exposure to acetaminophen in the womb were 2.26-2.86-times more likely to develop ADHD and 2.14-3.62-times more likely to develop autism.
This link between Tylenol or acetaminophen and autism or ADHD were confirmed by a 2021 study published in the European Journal of Epidemiology, which showed that children whose mothers used Tylenol or acetaminophen while pregnant were 19% more likely to be born with autism and 21% more likely to develop ADHD.
➢ Dozens of Acetaminophen Autism & ADHD Lawsuits Filed
In response to these studies, at least 19 lawsuits have been filed against CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, and other pharmacies over the link between acetaminophen or Tylenol and autism. The lawsuits have alleged that these pharmacies filed to properly warn mothers that their children were at an increased risk of developing autism or ADHD if they used acetaminophen while pregnant.
In October 2022, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation consolidated 18 of these lawsuits in a federal multidistrict litigation (MDL) in New York. Because the lawsuits all involve common questions of fact – whether acetaminophen causes autism or ADHD, whether the pharmacies knew or should have known the risks of using acetaminophen during pregnancy, and whether they properly warned mothers about the risk of using these drugs while pregnant – the federal panel combined the lawsuits together in order to expedite the trial process and make it easier for plaintiffs to receive a potential settlement.
The acetaminophen MDL includes the cases of at least 48 mothers who allege that their children were born with autism spectrum disorder or ADHD as a result of using over-the-counter acetaminophen products during pregnancy. Defendants in the case who were alleged to have sold acetaminophen linked to autism and ADHD include Costco, CVS, Rite Aid, Safeway, Target, Walgreens, and Walmart.
Lawyers involved in the acetaminophen litigation say that they expect that “tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands” of additional lawsuits will eventually be filed against companies that manufactured or sold acetaminophen due to the widespread use of these products and the link between Tylenol or acetaminophen and an increased risk of autism or ADHD.
➢ Start Your Claim Today
If you or a loved one have a child under 18 with autism or ADHD and used Tylenol or other drugs containing acetaminophen during pregnancy, you may be eligible to file a claim and receive compensation.
To start the process of filing your claim today, contact the lawyers at Hissey Mulderig & Friend by calling us toll-free at 1-866-806-8117, or by filling our our free claims form located at the top of this page.