Call for Unity: Motion to Consolidate Tylenol Autism/ADHD Lawsuits Gains Momentum
Lawsuits from 20 parents covering the link between autism and the prenatal use of Tylenol or acetaminophen will likely consolidate into one Court. Plaintiffs claim their children developed autism or ADHD due to using the drug during pregnancy. The Tylenol autism lawsuits are against Johnson & Johnson — the company that first developed acetaminophen — and other brands that make generic versions of the product, such as Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens. All Plaintiffs feel that they were not provided warnings of the potential dangers of taking acetaminophen during pregnancy and are seeking compensation for a variety of relate issues.
Why Has a Motion Been Filed To Consolidate Tylenol Autism Lawsuits?
Recent research indicates that there is a 19% and 21% increase in the chance that a child may develop autism or ADHD, respectively, when prenatally exposed to acetaminophen. Because of this research, many experts and legal professionals anticipate the number of cases being filed against Johnson & Johnson and other companies that manufacture the drug will increase.
In an effort to provide a more prudent, efficient, and speedy pretrial process, consolidation of said cases is being sought in New York through the filing for an MDL where a judge could potentially hear many of the cases and establish rules for discovery, thresholds for evidence, and recoverable damages.
What Is the Risk of Autism or ADHD With Tylenol Use?
A National Institute of Health study states that the more exposure a pregnant mother has to Tylenol, the higher the risk there will be of the child developing autism or ADHD. Using umbilical cord blood from 996 babies, the study found that by the time the children reached about eight years old, 25.8% developed ADHD, 6.6% developed autism, and 4.2% were diagnosed with both. In this study, it was found that the longer a pregnant woman uses acetaminophen and the higher the dose, the more likely it is that the child will develop autism or ADHD.
This represents a significant increase in the occurrence of autism and ADHD in children over those who were not exposed to acetaminophen. These risks, combined with the failure of the manufacturers and distributors of acetaminophen to provide voluntary warnings even after they were aware of said risks may have unnecessarily exposed tens of thousands of children to an avoidable harm.
Who Can Qualify for a Tylenol Autism Lawsuit?
If a mother took acetaminophen during pregnancy or the postnatal period while nursing, and the child has developed autism or ADHD, she may qualify to pursue action against manufacturers of the drug. A child must be 17 years old or younger, and the mother has to have evidence that she took acetaminophen during pregnancy or while nursing.
This is possible through medical or pharmacy records, where a doctor may have instructed a pregnant patient to take Tylenol, or with receipts from purchasing one of hundreds of name and privately labeled acetaminophen products. This is especially true if mothers feel they weren’t properly informed of the risks associated with taking acetaminophen.
There have been no settlements yet for any Tylenol lawsuits. The studies linking Tylenol to autism and ADHD are also new, so it’s undetermined what the compensation might be for those seeking compensation for damages. Those who feel they qualify to join the Tylenol autism lawsuits should contact legal counsel to determine their eligibility.
