A federal appeals court in New York revives lawsuits brought by plaintiffs who claim that taking Tylenol (acetaminophen) during pregnancy is linked to autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overrules a lower court that had dismissed the litigation, concluding that the trial judge improperly excluded expert testimony offered by plaintiffs’ scientists and doctors. According to reports, the appeals panel finds that the district court wrongly treated the expert evidence as unreliable or insufficient at the early stage of the cases, instead of allowing it to be considered in the litigation process.
Multiple outlets report that the ruling affects hundreds of lawsuits, including a consolidated set involving more than 500 private claims against Tylenol maker Kenvue. The appellate court’s decision does not establish that acetaminophen causes autism or ADHD; it instead reinstates the claims for further proceedings. The cases now return to the lower courts to continue under the appeals court’s guidance on how expert testimony should be handled.
