Tylenol (APAP)
Tylenol autism lawsuits are being filed around the country with a new Tylenol Autism class action lawsuit pending certification in federal court.
Plaintiffs are currently bringing lawsuits against retailers and manufacturers who have produced and sold acetaminophen. This is happening because Tylenol is being used by a large number of pregnant women and has been for decades, yet, several studies have linked it to autism diagnoses. The scientific studies are raising concerns about what acetaminophen can cause to happen to unborn babies during the prenatal phase, and the higher risk of the child developing autism.
At the moment, more than 20 studies have been performed to investigate the impact acetaminophen dosage has on pregnant women and their babies. Of these studies, at least 16 found that there was a dose-response association, meaning that being exposed to acetaminophen during pregnancy increased the risk of developing neurological disorders.
The JAMA Psychiatry journal found that “biomarkers of fetal exposure to acetaminophen were associated with a significantly increased risk of childhood [autism] in a dose-response fashion.”.
Whether a child develops autism could be dose responsive. This is because when the mothers takes Tylenol, how much Tylenol they take, and the amount of time that they take Tylenol can all correlate with autism risks. Though, some studies have shown that small Tylenol doses taken throughout pregnancy will not increase autism risks. Still, there are a large number of doctors suggesting that women should not risk taking acetaminophen during their pregnancy unless a doctor specifically says to do so.
The lawsuits people have filed against acetaminophen distributors were initially individual claims. Yet, the plaintiffs’ attorneys have recently filed a motion with the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation to move the Tylenol autism lawsuits into becoming a class action Multidistrict Litigation suit.
Claims made assert that Tylenol manufacturers and distributors failed to warn users about prenatal risks associated with being exposed to the product. These lawsuits have all been started recently, therefore it is expected that many people will make similar cases in the future.
