The State of Texas Top Legal Officer Takes Legal Action Against Tylenol Makers Regarding Autism Assertions
Texas Attorney General Paxton is suing the producers of acetaminophen, claiming the firms withheld safety concerns that the pain reliever created to pediatric brain development.
The lawsuit comes four weeks after President Donald Trump promoted an unsubstantiated connection between taking Tylenol - alternatively called paracetamol - while pregnant and autism spectrum disorder in young ones.
Paxton is suing J&J, which formerly manufactured the drug, the only pain reliever approved for women during pregnancy, and the current manufacturer, which currently produces it.
In a official comment, he said they "misled consumers by gaining financially from suffering and promoting medication regardless of the risks."
Kenvue says there is no credible evidence linking Tylenol to autism spectrum disorder.
"These corporations deceived for years, knowingly endangering millions to increase profits," the attorney general, a Republican, said.
Kenvue commented that it was "seriously troubled by the perpetuation of misinformation on the reliability of paracetamol and the likely effects that could have on the health of US mothers and children."
On its website, Kenvue also stated it had "consistently assessed the pertinent research and there is insufficient valid information that demonstrates a proven link between consuming paracetamol and autism."
Organizations representing doctors and health professionals share this view.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has declared acetaminophen - the main ingredient in acetaminophen - is a restricted selection for women during pregnancy to address pain and fever, which can present serious health risks if not addressed.
"In over twenty years of research on the use of paracetamol in gestation, not a single reputable study has conclusively proven that the consumption of paracetamol in any trimester of gestation causes neurological conditions in young ones," the group said.
The lawsuit references recent announcements from the previous government in arguing the drug is allegedly unsafe.
In recent weeks, Trump raised alarms from public health officials when he instructed expectant mothers to "fight like hell" not to consume acetaminophen when unwell.
The FDA then issued a notice that physicians should consider limiting the use of acetaminophen, while also declaring that "a causal relationship" between the drug and autism spectrum disorder in children has not been established.
Health Secretary RFK Jr, who oversees the Food and Drug Administration, had promised in April to conduct "a massive testing and research effort" that would identify the cause of autism spectrum disorder in a short period.
But experts advised that identifying a single cause of autism - thought by researchers to be the outcome of a intricate combination of inherited and surrounding conditions - would prove challenging.
Autism spectrum disorder is a type of lifelong neurodivergence and condition that influences how people perceive and interact with the surroundings, and is recognized using medical professional evaluations.
In his court filing, the attorney general - a Trump ally who is campaigning for US Senate - claims Kenvue and Johnson & Johnson "deliberately disregarded and tried to quiet the evidence" around paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder.
The lawsuit seeks to make the corporations "destroy any commercial messaging" that claims Tylenol is safe for expectant mothers.
The court case parallels the concerns of a assembly of guardians of minors with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who took legal action against the makers of acetaminophen in two years ago.
Judicial authorities rejected the legal action, stating studies from the family's specialists was not conclusive.