Federal judge says research can’t be used to link acetaminophen to autism, ADHD

(NEW YORK) — The 440 lawsuits brought against the makers of Tylenol and generic acetaminophen do not have “admissible evidence” to show that prenatal exposure to the medication can lead to autism or ADHD, a federal judge ruled this week.

U.S. District Judge Denise Cote wrote in her opinion that at least one of the experts provided by the plaintiffs “cherry-picked and misrepresented study results and refused to acknowledge the role of genetics in the etiology of either ASD or ADHD.”

The ruling is largely consistent with the position of major medical bodies, which say the evidence is not sufficient to make a cause-and-effect link between the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy and issues like autism and ADHD in children.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says women should talk to their doctors before taking any medications during pregnancy or if they are planning to become pregnant.

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