Scientist behind study cited by admin paid $150K by plaintiffs suing Tylenol manufacturer

Dr. Andrea Baccarelli's expert testimony was thrown out by a federal judge, who said he cherry picked and misrepresented study results.

By: Jacob Gardenswartz

Posted 3:56 PM, Sep 24, 2025 and last updated 4:44 PM, Sep 24, 2025

The research scientist behind a study purporting to show a link between Tylenol use during pregnancy and increased rates of neurological disorders like autism spectrum disorder and ADHD was previously paid at least $150,000 to provide expert testimony for plaintiffs in a lawsuit against Tylenol’s then-manufacturer, Scripps News has learned.

The plaintiffs in that case, a group of parents and guardians of children later diagnosed with autism and ADHD, sought significant damages from Johnson & Johnson, alleging the use of Tylenol’s active ingredient acetaminophen contributed to their children’s diagnoses. Court filings reveal Dr. Andrea Baccarelli, then a professor at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, said in sworn testimony that he provided more than 200 hours of work on behalf of the plaintiffs at $700 per hour, totaling at least $150,000.

But Denise Cote, the federal judge overseeing the case in the Southern District of New York, ultimately dismissed the lawsuit and tossed out Baccarelli's expert testimony.

Baccarelli "cherry-picked and misrepresented study results and refused to acknowledge the role of genetics in the etiology" of autism and ADHD, Cote wrote in her opinion ...

https://www.scrippsnews.com/health/scientist-behind-autism-study-cited-by-trump-admin-paid-150k-by-plaintiffs-suing-tylenol-manufacturer