The dean of Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Dr Andrea Baccarelli, who consulted with top Trump administration health officials before Monday’s claims linking Tylenol use during pregnancy to autism, was paid at least $150,000 to serve as an expert witness in lawsuits against the maker of Tylenol. According to court filings reviewed by The New York Times, Baccarelli disclosed the payment in a deposition he gave in summer 2023. He had previously acknowledged serving as an expert witness in the litigation but had not disclosed the amount he earned. A federal judge dismissed the lawsuits for lack of reliable scientific evidence, though plaintiffs are appealing. President Donald Trump and federal health officials cited Baccarelli’s research at a news conference on Monday, claiming an established link between prenatal Tylenol use and autism. The administration highlighted his work on social media and in interviews as supporting evidence. Scientists have studied a potential link for years with mixed results, with some studies showing increased risk and others finding no connection between acetaminophen and autism. Baccarelli was the senior author of a 2025 scientific review with collaborators at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and other universities. That study, cited during the White House press briefing, evaluated 46 existing studies and concluded there is an association between acetaminophen exposure during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders in children. Baccarelli declined an interview Tuesday. A spokesperson for Harvard’s public health school, Stephanie Simon, said, “He confirmed that his testimony in the deposition was accurate and that his work on the case culminated in the deposition; he worked just a handful of additional hours following the deposition.” In his deposition on August 14, 2023, conducted at a Manhattan law firm, Baccarelli estimated that he spent more than 200 hours on the case, earning about $150,000. At that time, he was a professor at Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health and became dean at Harvard in 2024. The litigation involved hundreds of families claiming their children developed autism or ADHD after prenatal Tylenol use. Kenvue, Tylenol’s manufacturer, along with major retailers selling generic acetaminophen, were named as defendants. Judge Denise Cote dismissed the suits, agreeing with defense attorneys that Baccarelli had “cherry-picked and misrepresented study results,” rendering his testimony unreliable. In a statement Monday, Baccarelli emphasized caution regarding acetaminophen use in pregnancy. “Further research is needed to confirm the association and determine causality, but based on existing evidence, I believe that caution about acetaminophen use during pregnancy — especially heavy or prolonged use — is warranted.” The August 2025 review disclosed Baccarelli’s prior expert witness role, acknowledging the potential perception of a conflict of interest but affirming that his work adhered to high standards of scientific integrity.
