Texas Top Legal Officer Files Lawsuit Against Acetaminophen Manufacturers Regarding Autism Allegations
The top legal official in Texas Ken Paxton is taking legal action against the manufacturers of Tylenol, alleging the corporations hid safety concerns that the drug presented to children's cognitive development.
This legal action arrives four weeks after President Donald Trump publicized an unproven link between using Tylenol - referred to as paracetamol - during pregnancy and autism spectrum disorder in children.
The attorney general is filing suit against Johnson & Johnson, which once produced the drug, the exclusive pain medication suggested for pregnant women, and Kenvue, which presently makes it.
In a declaration, he claimed they "misled consumers by making money from discomfort and pushing pills regardless of the potential hazards."
The manufacturer says there is insufficient reliable data tying acetaminophen to autism spectrum disorder.
"These companies lied for decades, intentionally threatening numerous people to boost earnings," Paxton, from the Republican party, said.
The manufacturer commented that it was "seriously troubled by the spread of false claims on the safety of paracetamol and the likely effects that could have on the health of US mothers and children."
On its official site, Kenvue also stated it had "regularly reviewed the applicable studies and there is no credible data that indicates a verified association between taking acetaminophen and autism."
Associations acting on behalf of doctors and healthcare providers concur.
The leading OB-GYN organization has declared acetaminophen - the key substance in Tylenol - is one of the few options for women during pregnancy to address discomfort and fever, which can present significant medical dangers if left untreated.
"In over twenty years of investigation on the consumption of paracetamol in pregnancy, zero credible investigations has conclusively proven that the use of paracetamol in any period of pregnancy leads to brain development issues in children," the association stated.
The court filing mentions recent announcements from the Trump administration in claiming the medication is reportedly hazardous.
Last month, the former president caused concern from health experts when he told women during pregnancy to "resist strongly" not to consume Tylenol when unwell.
The FDA then released a statement that physicians should contemplate reducing the usage of Tylenol, while also stating that "a proven link" between the medication and autism in minors has not been proven.
Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who oversees the FDA, had vowed in spring to conduct "a massive testing and research effort" that would determine the cause of autism spectrum disorder in a matter of months.
But authorities cautioned that identifying a unique factor of autism spectrum disorder - considered by experts to be the outcome of a complicated interplay of genetic and external influences - would be difficult.
Autism is a form of lifelong neurodivergence and disability that influences how persons encounter and engage with the environment, and is identified using medical professional evaluations.
In his legal document, the attorney general - who supports Trump who is seeking US Senate - claims the manufacturer and J&J "willfully ignored and tried to quiet the research" around paracetamol and autism.
The case seeks to make the firms "eliminate any commercial messaging" that asserts Tylenol is safe for expectant mothers.
The Texas lawsuit echoes the complaints of a group of guardians of children with autism and ADHD who took legal action against the makers of Tylenol in recently.
A federal judge rejected the lawsuit, saying research from the plaintiffs' authorities was not conclusive.