Attorneys urge court overseeing Tylenol autism lawsuits to consider Trump administration's stance

Source: Reuters

September 25, 2025 12:28 AM EDT Updated 7 hours ago


Sept 24 (Reuters) - Families appealing the dismissal of their lawsuits alleging that Kenvue's Tylenol or generic versions of the pain-relief medication caused their children's autism are asking an appeals court to consider President Donald Trump's new advice that pregnant women avoid the pain killer as it decides whether to revive their lawsuits.

Ashley Keller, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, filed a letter Wednesday alerting the New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to the Trump administration’s stance on the alleged link between Tylenol and autism. In a news conference at the White House on Monday, Trump delivered medical advice to pregnant women, repeatedly telling them not to use acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol.

A judge last year dismissed hundreds of lawsuits alleging a connection between Tylenol or generic versions of the drug and autism or ADHD diagnoses, saying that the experts the plaintiffs relied on had failed to support their conclusions with scientific evidence. In Wednesday's letter, Keller told the appeals court that a ruling upholding the lower court's decision would pose "grave separation of powers concerns," because the Trump administration had turned to one the same experts in developing its position.

Keller noted that during Monday's press conference, U.S. Food and Drug Commissioner Marty Makary, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Trump cited the research on Tylenol and autism done by Andrea Baccarelli, currently dean of the faculty at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, one of the plaintiffs' experts. In a statement, a Kenvue spokesperson noted that the FDA said a causal relationship has not been established between Tylenol and autism and said the company believes it will continue to be successful in the litigation as the claims lack legal merit and scientific support.


Read more: https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/attorneys-urge-court-overseeing-tylenol-autism-lawsuits-consider-trump-2025-09-25/