Tylenol lawsuits are being filed by parents whose children have been diagnosed with autism across the country. The lawsuits are naming Johnson & Johnson, Walgreens, CVS, Costco, Walmart, and other makers of the drug Tylenol.
A 2018 study found that pregnant women who took Tylenol for a prolonged period of time unknowingly exposed their soon-to-be-born children to a 20% higher risk of autism and 30% higher risk of ADHD.
Autism is one of the fastest growing developmental disorders, affecting 1 in 44 children aged 8. However, researchers have struggled to discover the source of the increase in diagnoses. The study noted, “Acetaminophen (also called paracetamol) is the analgesic and antipyretic medication most commonly used during pregnancy. It is classified as category B for safety in pregnancy (no risks have been found in humans) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is widely considered the drug of choice for fever and pain in pregnant and lactating women.
In recent years, exposure to acetaminophen during pregnancy and early infancy has been associated with potential harmful effects, even with exposure to therapeutic doses. Reported harmful effects have included:
Several studies have evaluated acetaminophen’s potentially neuro-disruptive properties. Recent studies report that acetaminophen has (in rats) direct neurotoxic effects in cortical neurons and (in mice) inhibits fetal testosterone production, areas that are critical for brain development. Moreover, acetaminophen crosses the human placental barrier, and an association between exposure to acetaminophen during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental impairment in humans has been reported.
The link between Tylenol usage during pregnancy and autism is not to be taken likely, especially given that 59-65% of pregnant women use the over-the-counter medicine at some point during pregnancy.
A similar 2021 study revealed that 19% of children exposed to Tylenol during their mother’s pregnancy suffered from autism. The researchers concluded “These results support providing clear information to pregnant women and their partners about potential long-term risks of acetaminophen use.”
On June 10, 2022, a group of plaintiffs filed a motion to consolidate these lawsuits into one court to avoid duplicative discovery and to make pre-trial proceedings more efficient. It is expected that the number of these lawsuits will increase over the coming months, making consolidation a potentially efficient way to save judicial resources.
The lawyers at Rheingold, Giuffra, Ruffo, & Plotkin, LLP have decades of experience representing individuals and families who have been injured by dangerous pharmaceuticals. We would be honored to speak with you about a potential lawsuit if your child was diagnosed with autism after prolonged use of Tylenol during pregnancy.
Contact us for a free initial consultation with a New York injury lawyer from our team. Call (212) 684-1880 for more information about autism and Tylenol lawsuits.
On June 10, 2022, a group of plaintiffs filed a motion to consolidate these lawsuits into one court to avoid duplicative discovery and to make pre-trial proceedings more efficient. It is expected that the number of these lawsuits will increase over the coming months, making consolidation a potentially efficient way to save judicial resources.
The lawyers at Rheingold, Giuffra, Ruffo, & Plotkin, LLP have decades of experience representing individuals and families who have been injured by dangerous pharmaceuticals. We would be honored to speak with you about a potential lawsuit if your child was diagnosed with autism after prolonged use of Tylenol during pregnancy.
Contact us for a free initial consultation with a New York injury lawyer from our team. Call (212) 684-1880 for more information about autism and Tylenol lawsuits.
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