Trump’s Stance on Tylenol and Autism Is Reigniting Old Lawsuits

On Sept. 22, 2025, Donald Trump stood in front of reporters to announce that the government had made a connection between pregnant people's use of Tylenol during pregnancy and autism.

The news shook people worldwide, with medical experts and doctors speaking out against the misinformation, pointing to scientific research and lengthy studies disputing the government's claims.

And while medical organizations, like the American Academy of Pediatrics, have made clear and concise statements against these claims, calling claims otherwise "misleading" and "dangerous," there are some who hope to use the president's words to advance their own agendas.

This includes a group of lawyers who have filed lawsuits against Tylenol and generic versions of the drug, claiming that using them caused autism and ADHD in their clients' children.

Here's what we know so far.

In 2024, a judge dismissed hundreds of lawsuits that were filed on behalf of parents who say that their children had been diagnosed with autism or ADHD as a result of using the medication.

The judge dismissed the cases over a lack of "scientific evidence," according to Reuters, which they needed to move further with their case. However, Trump's administration used one of the experts from the dismissed lawsuits in the investigation, which lawyers believe may be enough to reopen the cases.

Ashley Keller, one of the attorneys representing the plaintiffs, filed a letter sharing the Trump administration's stance, claiming that there would be "grave separation of powers concerns" if the judge didn't reopen the cases.

A legal representative for the company that owns Tylenol submitted a letter in response, highlighting information that was sent out from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration disputing Trump's claims.

Tylenol has updated the company's website with a statement, writing that that it believes "independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism. We strongly disagree with any suggestion otherwise and are deeply concerned about the health risks and confusion this poses for expecting mothers and parents."

Additionally, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has done the same on its website.

“Today’s announcement by HHS is not backed by the full body of scientific evidence and dangerously simplifies the many and complex causes of neurologic challenges in children," the statement read. "It is highly unsettling that our federal health agencies are willing to make an announcement that will affect the health and well-being of millions of people without the backing of reliable data."

While it seems like the science supports the judge who threw out the case, and the lawyers for Tylenol, there could be some legal confusion over the conflicting information coming out of the White House.

As such, we're sure we haven't heard the last of this lawsuit, and we can imagine that lawyers on both sides of the argument are going to be quite busy as they try and figure out what the next steps are for the dismissed cases.