Texas Top Legal Officer Sues Acetaminophen Makers Regarding Autism Spectrum Claims
The top legal official in Texas Ken Paxton is filing a lawsuit against the manufacturers of Tylenol, claiming the firms hid potential risks that the pain reliever created to pediatric cognitive development.
The lawsuit follows four weeks after Donald Trump promoted an unproven link between taking Tylenol - referred to as acetaminophen - throughout gestation and autism spectrum disorder in children.
Paxton is taking legal action against J&J, which formerly manufactured the medication, the sole analgesic approved for women during pregnancy, and the current manufacturer, which now manufacturers it.
In a statement, he stated they "deceived the public by profiting off of suffering and promoting medication ignoring the dangers."
Kenvue says there is insufficient reliable data connecting Tylenol to autism spectrum disorder.
"These corporations lied for decades, knowingly endangering countless individuals to increase profits," the attorney general, a Republican, stated.
The company commented that it was "very worried by the dissemination of inaccurate information on the security of acetaminophen and the possible consequences that could have on the health of US mothers and children."
On its official site, Kenvue also stated it had "regularly reviewed the relevant science and there is insufficient valid information that demonstrates a verified association between consuming acetaminophen and autism."
Groups acting on behalf of medical professionals and healthcare providers agree.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has declared acetaminophen - the key substance in Tylenol - is among limited choices for women during pregnancy to manage pain and elevated temperature, which can present significant medical dangers if ignored.
"In over twenty years of studies on the utilization of acetaminophen in pregnancy, not a single reputable study has definitively established that the use of acetaminophen in any stage of gestation results in neurological conditions in offspring," the association said.
This legal action cites latest statements from the previous government in arguing the medication is potentially dangerous.
In recent weeks, Trump caused concern from health experts when he told pregnant women to "fight like hell" not to use Tylenol when unwell.
Federal regulators then released a statement that physicians should consider limiting the usage of Tylenol, while also declaring that "a direct connection" between the medication and autism in children has not been proven.
Health Secretary Kennedy, who manages the Food and Drug Administration, had promised in spring to conduct "a massive testing and research effort" that would determine the source of autism in a matter of months.
But specialists advised that identifying a single cause of autism - believed by scientists to be the result of a intricate combination of genetic and surrounding conditions - would not be simple.
Autism spectrum disorder is a form of lifelong neurodivergence and disability that influences how persons encounter and relate to the surroundings, and is identified using physician assessments.
In his legal document, the attorney general - who supports Trump who is running for US Senate - claims the manufacturer and Johnson & Johnson "intentionally overlooked and sought to suppress the evidence" around acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder.
The lawsuit seeks to make the companies "destroy any commercial messaging" that claims acetaminophen is reliable for expectant mothers.
The Texas lawsuit mirrors the concerns of a assembly of mothers and fathers of minors with autism and ADHD who sued the producers of acetaminophen in two years ago.
A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit, saying investigations from the family's specialists was lacking definitive proof.