Link between acetaminophen taken During pregnancy and Autism?

Unlike prior court decisions, the Acetaminophen class action lawsuit, in its recent ruling, found that manufacturers' have a "duty" to warn the public that Acetaminophen, taking during pregnancy, is more likely than not linked to the onset of Autism.  The court has ruled that the "duty" to warn exceeds those of the Federal Drug Administration (FDA).  In effect, the federal preemption doctrine, which placed the responsibility squarely on the role of the FDA, may not preclude manufacturers from being required to label their products with known warnings about their use or being held liable for failure to "warn" the public.

In our discussion, here, we focus on the "science" that Tylenol and generic acetaminophen taken during pregnancy, may be a critical factor in the later onset of ASD.  In evaluating the "science" behind the lawsuit, it is also important to recognize that acetaminophen is clearly and probably one of the least understood compounds because the mechanism to relieve pain and reduce fever is unclear.  Yet, through observational studies, the court has so far concluded, that there is reasonable evidence to suggest that there are positive associations between acetaminophen exposure during pregnancy and autism.  Specifically, there is a dose-response association, meaning increased duration of exposure, "associated with increased risk with fetal brain development".

In effect, if the "science" is confirmed by experts, we begin to understand ASD as a result of diverse causations, which in effect, mimic or look like one another.