Retailers of pain relievers acetaminophen (APAP), popularly known as paracetamol, are facing a slew of lawsuits alleging that women who took the drug during pregnancies ended up giving birth to children with neurological issues like autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
According to one lawsuit, filed by plaintiff Tiffany Rutledge against Walmart, the plaintiff took APAP products from August or September 2008 and April 2009 when she was pregnant with her first child, referred to as Plaintiff C.R., as well as between December 2010 or January 2011 to September 2011 when she was pregnant with her second child, referred to as Plaintiff L.R.
During the time, she believed it was safe to take APAP products during the pregnancies. There was no warning on the products addressing the risk of potential ADHD or ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) if a pregnant woman were to ingest APAP. If she had been informed about this, Rutledge would not have consumed APAP products, the lawsuit states….