Appeals Court Revives Hundreds of Tylenol Lawsuits

A federal appeals court has revived hundreds of lawsuits against Tylenol maker Kenvue, ruling that a lower court improperly excluded expert testimony from plaintiffs who allege a link between prenatal use of the painkiller and neurodevelopmental disorders in children. The decision, issued on Monday, July 13, 2026, by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan, sends more than 500 cases back to a district court for further proceedings.

The three-judge panel found that U.S. District Judge Denise Cote had exceeded her discretion in December 2024 when she dismissed the lawsuits after barring testimony from three expert witnesses for the plaintiffs. The appeals court concluded that the experts, who include the dean of Harvard University’s School of Public Health, Andrea Baccarelli, relied on recognized scientific methodologies. The judges wrote that disagreements over how to interpret available research should be weighed through the legal process rather than dismissed outright.

The lawsuits, filed by parents and guardians, claim that acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, taken during pregnancy can cause autism spectrum disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity...