Texas Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against Tylenol Producers Over Autism Allegations
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing the makers of acetaminophen, claiming the corporations concealed alleged dangers that the drug presented to pediatric cognitive development.
The court filing follows four weeks after Donald Trump publicized an unsubstantiated connection between taking acetaminophen - alternatively called acetaminophen - while pregnant and autism spectrum disorder in offspring.
Paxton is taking legal action against the pharmaceutical giant, which previously sold the drug, the sole analgesic suggested for pregnant women, and Kenvue, which presently makes it.
In a statement, he said they "betrayed America by profiting off of pain and pushing pills ignoring the potential hazards."
The company states there is insufficient reliable data tying acetaminophen to autism.
"These corporations misled for generations, intentionally threatening numerous people to boost earnings," the attorney general, a Republican, stated.
The manufacturer said in a statement that it was "very worried by the dissemination of inaccurate information on the security of acetaminophen and the likely effects that could have on the health of women and children in America."
On its official site, Kenvue also said it had "continuously evaluated the relevant science and there is no credible data that shows a verified association between consuming paracetamol and autism."
Associations speaking for medical professionals and health professionals agree.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has stated acetaminophen - the key substance in Tylenol - is one of the few options for women during pregnancy to manage pain and fever, which can create serious health risks if ignored.
"In over twenty years of research on the utilization of acetaminophen in pregnancy, not a single reputable study has definitively established that the consumption of paracetamol in any period of pregnancy causes neurological conditions in young ones," the association commented.
The lawsuit cites latest statements from the former administration in arguing the drug is potentially dangerous.
Last month, the former president raised alarms from medical authorities when he told women during pregnancy to "struggle intensely" not to consume Tylenol when ill.
The FDA then released a statement that physicians should consider limiting the use of Tylenol, while also mentioning that "a causal relationship" between the drug and autism spectrum disorder in children has remains unverified.
The Health Department head RFK Jr, who manages the FDA, had promised in April to conduct "a massive testing and research effort" that would identify the origin of autism spectrum disorder in a limited time.
But specialists advised that finding a unique factor of autism spectrum disorder - considered by experts to be the outcome of a complex mix of genetic and environmental factors - would not be simple.
Autism is a type of enduring cognitive variation and impairment that affects how people experience and interact with the environment, and is identified using doctors' observations.
In his lawsuit, the attorney general - a Trump ally who is seeking US Senate - claims Kenvue and Johnson & Johnson "intentionally overlooked and tried to quiet the evidence" around paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder.
The case attempts to require the corporations "eliminate any commercial messaging" that states Tylenol is secure for expectant mothers.
This legal action parallels the grievances of a collection of guardians of minors with autism and ADHD who filed suit against the manufacturers of acetaminophen in 2022.
A federal judge rejected the lawsuit, declaring research from the parents' expert witnesses was inconclusive.