In Utero Exposure to the 1982 Tylenol Recall and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes

Christopher M. Worsham, Charles Bray, Joshua Rothman, Brian Kwan and Anupam Jena

No 35873, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: Observational research into the relationship between maternal acetaminophen use during pregnancy and a child’s subsequent risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autism has been limited by confounding factors. Using two large national U.S. insurance claims databases and a novel natural experiment, we assessed differences in prevalence of ADHD and autism among children whose gestational periods were impacted by a nationwide Tylenol recall issued in 1982, following deaths from Tylenol capsules containing potassium cyanide. Prevalence of ADHD and autism was not significantly different in birth cohorts exposed to the recall during gestation, when maternal acetaminophen use would have been reduced; interrupted time series models showed no significant differences compared to underlying temporal diagnostic trends. These findings are inconsistent with a clinically meaningful effect of maternal acetaminophen use on subsequent development of neurodevelopmental disorders.

JEL-codes: I1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026-10
Note: EH
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