Kenvue loses bid for rehearing after Tylenol autism lawsuits revived

Johnson & Johnson

16/10/2026 22:23

By Diana Novak Jones
Oct 16 (Reuters) - A US appeals court said on Friday it won’t reconsider a ruling reviving hundreds of lawsuits against Tylenol maker Kenvue alleging the popular painkiller can cause autism.
In a brief order, the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said it was rejecting a request from the company, which was spun off from Johnson & Johnson, to reconsider the three-judge panel’s ruling or to have the full court hear the case
In July, the panel revived about 500 lawsuits filed by parents over claims Tylenol use during pregnancy is linked to autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children 
In that ruling, the court said a district court judge improperly excluded expert testimony from three doctors supporting the parents’ claims
Kenvue asked the court to reconsider the decision, saying district judges are the "true gatekeepers" who decide ⁠whether evidence is reliable enough to be admitted at trial
A spokesperson for Kenvue did not immediately respond to a request for comment
Friday’s ruling could pave the way for the company to appeal to the US Supreme Court
The issue drew greater attention after PresidentDonald Trump and top US health officials suggested a ​link to autism
There is no firm scientific evidence ​of a link between the drug and the conditions

(Reporting by Diana Novak Jones)