What Does the Research Say?

While you were pregnant, if you used over-the-counter pain relievers that contained ibuprofen or acetaminophen, and if your child has developed autism spectrum disorder (ASD), schedule a consultation at once to discuss your family’s rights with a national product liability lawyer.

Across the United States, lawsuits are now being filed against the manufacturers and distributors of over-the-counter pain relievers like Tylenol (its active ingredient is acetaminophen) and medicines like Advil and Motrin (their active ingredient is ibuprofen).

What, precisely, is autism spectrum disorder? Why do researchers believe that acetaminophen and ibuprofen may be among the causes of autism spectrum disorder? And what steps should you take if you used these drugs and your child developed ASD? What are your family’s rights?

If you will keep reading this brief discussion of acetaminophen, ibuprofen, autism spectrum disorder, and your family’s rights under the law, you will find some important answers that you and your loved ones may need.

What is ASD?

Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental and neurological disorder that affects the way a person interacts, learns, and communicates. Autism spectrum disorder is considered a “developmental disorder” because symptoms usually appear in the first two years after birth.

Autism is a spectrum disorder because the severity and types of symptoms vary widely. Autism spectrum disorder strikes individuals from all races, ethnicities, genders, and economic backgrounds.

While patients may struggle with ASD for life, many of the available treatments and services can significantly improve someone’s symptoms and ability to function. Autism spectrum disorder may be responsible for:

  1.  difficulties communicating and interacting with others
  2.  repetitive behaviors and limited interests
  3.  an inability to function well in school, work, and other areas of life

Do Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen Cause ASD?

What is the evidence that over-the-counter pain remedies like Tylenol, Motrin, and Advil may cause autism spectrum disorder? Here’s what some of the researchers have found and said:

  1.  In a statement published in 2021, nearly one hundred scientists and medical professionals expressed concerns that Tylenol use during pregnancy increases the risk of a child developing autism spectrum disorder.
  2.  In 2019, Johns Hopkins researchers who analyzed umbilical cord blood samples found that newborns with a high exposure to acetaminophen were approximately three times more likely to be diagnosed with ASD than children with no acetaminophen exposure.
  3. At least twenty-six separate studies have linked acetaminophen use during pregnancy with an increased risk for autism spectrum disorder.
  4.  Similar studies have found that newborns with a high exposure to ibuprofen were more likely to be diagnosed with ASD than children with no ibuprofen exposure, although the risk posed by ibuprofen is statistically lesser than the risk posed by acetaminophen.
  5.  The research evidence additionally suggests that postnatal acetaminophen exposure, in doses given to children before age two, increased the risk for ASD among male children by about forty percent over a male child with no postnatal acetaminophen exposure.

How May Acetaminophen Cause ASD?

Acetaminophen is a quite common medicine. It is the active ingredient in Tylenol and several other over-the-counter and prescription medications.

Researchers have demonstrated that acetaminophen in an expectant mother’s blood may move through the placenta and enter into the child’s bloodstream. Acetaminophen may then make the child’s cells overly sensitive to oxidative stress, which is a natural result of cell metabolism.

Researchers now believe that this is the process by which acetaminophen affects fetal brain development and may cause autism spectrum disorder.

Do Parents Have Legal Recourse?

Families with children who developed ASD after their mothers used Tylenol during pregnancy have now filed lawsuits in all fifty states. Lawsuits have been brought against Tylenol’s manufacturer, Johnson & Johnson, as well as against distributors like Walmart and CVS.

If you used acetaminophen or ibuprofen while you were pregnant, and if your child developed ASD, arrange at once to discuss your concerns with a national product liability attorney who has substantial experience taking on the pharmaceutical companies and retail giants.

If you file a product liability claim, and if that claim prevails, you could recover compensation to pay for your child’s medical costs and to compensate your family’s pain and suffering. Autism is a life-long condition, so in many cases, the compensation a family receives may be substantial.

What is the Deadline for Filing a Claim?

Every state enforces a statute of limitations that limits the time a parent has to bring a product liability claim. If you do not initiate legal action in advance of that deadline, the courts in most states probably will not hear or consider your case.

The deadline for filing a product liability claim in most states is two or three years, but if your child developed autism spectrum disorder after you used acetaminophen or ibuprofen during pregnancy, schedule a legal consultation now – from wherever you live in the United States – with a national product liability attorney.

In most states, the statute of limitations time period will begin when your child is diagnosed with autism. If that happens, you must speak to a product liability lawyer as quickly as possible. If you used ibuprofen or acetaminophen while you were pregnant, and if your child has any signs or symptoms of ASD, immediately take your child to a healthcare provider for a diagnosis.

How Will Your Claim Be Handled?

Product liability claims are usually resolved privately and out-of-court, but if a product manufacturer or distributor denies your claim, your case will go to trial, and your lawyer will tell the jurors how your child developed ASD and why your family should be compensated.

If your child developed autism spectrum disorder after you used ibuprofen or acetaminophen while you were pregnant, take the first step now and call the offices of Greg Jones Law – from wherever you are in the United States – at 855-566-3752.

What Will Attorney Greg Jones Do on Your Behalf?

Attorney Greg Jones represents and advises clients on a contingent fee basis, so you will pay no lawyer’s fee in advance and no fee until and unless you are compensated. As mentioned previously, autism is a lifelong condition, so parents need to take action as quickly as possible.

National product liability lawyer Greg Jones will evaluate your case, answer your questions, and address your concerns without obligation or cost. You will receive personalized legal advice, and you’ll be able to make an informed decision about moving forward with a product liability claim.