An American appeals court on Monday relaunched hundreds of lawsuits against the Kenvue laboratory, accused by individuals of having concealed information regarding a link, not scientifically proven, between its drug Tylenol (paracetamol) and autism.
Without commenting on the merits of these accusations, this federal appeals court found that the trial court had “exceeded its discretion” by excluding the testimony of three experts presented by the plaintiffs.
“We do not comment on the existence of a causal link” between taking paracetamol during pregnancy and the development of autism and/or attention deficit disorder (ADHD) in children, the judges nevertheless underlined.
Their decision revives the proceedings which had been dismissed by this court of first instance.
The question of a link between this very popular painkiller and autism is hotly contested by medical and scientific organizations, but has notably been highlighted by President Donald Trump.
“There is currently no solid scientific data confirming a possible link between autism and taking paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen) during pregnancy,” the World Health Organization recalled in September 2025.
Paracetamol remains the reference painkiller for pregnant women, unlike aspirin or ibuprofen, the latter presenting proven risks for the fetus.
This legal decision “does not change the fact that credible and independent scientific data demonstrate no proven link” between Tylenol and the development of neurodevelopmental disorders, a spokesperson for the Kenvue laboratory told AFP.
“Science matters” and “we now have another opportunity to demonstrate that the plaintiffs’ expert opinions are unreliable and should not be admitted in this case,” he added.
