The State of Texas Top Legal Officer Takes Legal Action Against Acetaminophen Makers Regarding Autism Spectrum Claims
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is taking legal action against the manufacturers of Tylenol, claiming the companies withheld safety concerns that the medication presented to pediatric neurological development.
The court filing comes a month after President Donald Trump publicized an unsubstantiated connection between taking Tylenol - alternatively called paracetamol - during pregnancy and autism in children.
Paxton is filing suit against J&J, which previously sold the medication, the only pain reliever recommended for women during pregnancy, and Kenvue, which now manufacturers it.
In a declaration, he said they "deceived the public by profiting off of pain and pushing pills regardless of the risks."
The manufacturer says there is no credible evidence tying Tylenol to autism spectrum disorder.
"These manufacturers misled for generations, deliberately risking countless individuals to increase profits," the attorney general, from the Republican party, stated.
The company said in a statement that it was "very worried by the perpetuation of misinformation on the safety of paracetamol and the possible consequences that could have on the welfare of women and children in America."
On its website, Kenvue also stated it had "regularly reviewed the pertinent research and there is insufficient valid information that shows a verified association between using paracetamol and autism."
Associations speaking for medical professionals and healthcare providers agree.
The leading OB-GYN organization has stated paracetamol - the primary component in Tylenol - is among limited choices for women during pregnancy to treat discomfort and elevated temperature, which can pose serious health risks if ignored.
"In multiple decades of research on the consumption of paracetamol in gestation, zero credible investigations has successfully concluded that the use of acetaminophen in any stage of pregnancy results in neurodevelopmental disorders in children," the group stated.
The court filing references recent announcements from the former administration in asserting the drug is allegedly unsafe.
Recently, the former president generated worry from medical authorities when he instructed expectant mothers to "struggle intensely" not to use acetaminophen when sick.
The US Food and Drug Administration then published an announcement that medical professionals should think about restricting the consumption of acetaminophen, while also declaring that "a proven link" between the drug and autism in children has not been proven.
Health Secretary Kennedy, who supervises the Food and Drug Administration, had promised in April to undertake "comprehensive study program" that would determine the source of autism in a limited time.
But specialists advised that discovering a sole reason of autism spectrum disorder - believed by scientists to be the outcome of a complicated interplay of genetic and surrounding conditions - would prove challenging.
Autism is a type of enduring cognitive variation and condition that influences how persons perceive and relate to the environment, and is identified using medical professional evaluations.
In his court filing, Paxton - aligned with the former president who is running for the Senate - alleges Kenvue and Johnson & Johnson "intentionally overlooked and tried to quiet the research" around acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder.
This legal action aims to force the firms "destroy any promotional materials" that asserts Tylenol is reliable for women during pregnancy.
The Texas lawsuit echoes the grievances of a assembly of guardians of children with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who sued the manufacturers of Tylenol in 2022.
Judicial authorities dismissed the legal action, saying studies from the parents' expert witnesses was lacking definitive proof.