Harvard Dean’s Lucrative Role as Expert Witness in Tylenol Lawsuits Revealed

The dean of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Dr. Andrea Baccarelli, has been found to have earned at least $150,000 as an expert witness on behalf of plaintiffs in lawsuits against the manufacturer of Tylenol. This revelation comes ahead of a recent warning issued by top Trump health officials about a potential link between Tylenol use during pregnancy and autism.According to a court deposition obtained by The New York Times, Dr. Baccarelli disclosed the substantial payment in a summer 2023 court filing. While he had previously acknowledged serving as an expert witness in the case, he had not publicly disclosed the amount he was paid. The lawsuits, which were ultimately dismissed by a federal judge due to a lack of reliable scientific evidence, are currently being appealed by the plaintiffs.Dr. Baccarelli's research has been cited by Trump administration officials as evidence of a link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism. In a news conference on Monday, President Trump and federal health officials claimed that there was a established connection between the two. Dr. Baccarelli was also championed by administration officials in a television interview, who touted him as a highly credentialed expert supporting the evidence for an autism-acetaminophen link.However, the scientific community remains divided on the issue, with studies yielding inconclusive results. While some research has suggested a potential increased risk of autism among pregnant women who took acetaminophen, other studies have found no connection between the drug and autism.Dr. Baccarelli was the senior author on a recent scientific review conducted with collaborators at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and other universities. The study was cited during Monday's White House press conference, highlighting the ongoing debate about the potential risks and benefits of acetaminophen use during pregnancy.The significant payment to Dr. Baccarelli as an expert witness raises questions about potential conflicts of interest and the role of scientists in shaping public health policy. As the debate about acetaminophen and autism continues, it remains to be seen how Dr. Baccarelli's research and financial disclosures will be scrutinized by the scientific community and the public.