Acetaminophen — sold as Tylenol and as countless store-brand pain and fever relievers — has long been treated as the safe choice during pregnancy. But a growing body of research has raised concern about that assumption. A 2020 study published in JAMA Psychiatry measured acetaminophen in umbilical-cord blood and found a dose-response relationship between prenatal exposure and later autism and ADHD diagnoses, and a 2025 Mount Sinai and Harvard review concluded the evidence is consistent with an association between acetaminophen use in pregnancy and increased neurodevelopmental disorders. Lawsuits allege the manufacturers and retailers knew, or should have known, of this risk and failed to warn.
Families have filed suit against Johnson & Johnson — which made Tylenol through its McNeil Consumer Healthcare unit — and major retailers such as Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens that sold generic acetaminophen. The federal cases were consolidated in a multidistrict litigation in the Southern District of New York (In re: Acetaminophen — ASD/ADHD Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3043). After the court excluded the plaintiffs' general-causation experts, that ruling was appealed and remains pending, and many families are now pursuing claims in state court. Eligibility depends on the facts of your case, and attorneys are reviewing new claims nationwide.
If you used Tylenol or generic acetaminophen during pregnancy and your child was later diagnosed with autism or ADHD, you may be able to take part in this litigation.
