The State of Texas Top Legal Officer Sues Tylenol Makers Concerning Autism Spectrum Allegations
Texas Attorney General Paxton is filing a lawsuit against the producers of Tylenol, alleging the firms withheld potential risks that the medication created to pediatric brain development.
The court filing arrives a month after Former President Trump advocated an unproven link between consuming acetaminophen - alternatively called acetaminophen - while pregnant and autism spectrum disorder in children.
Paxton is taking legal action against J&J, which once produced the medication, the only pain reliever approved for women during pregnancy, and Kenvue, which currently produces it.
In a declaration, he stated they "betrayed America by making money from pain and pushing pills regardless of the dangers."
Kenvue states there is no credible evidence linking Tylenol to autism.
"These manufacturers misled for generations, intentionally threatening countless individuals to line their pockets," Paxton, from the Republican party, said.
Kenvue said in a statement that it was "seriously troubled by the perpetuation of misinformation on the security of acetaminophen and the potential impact that could have on the welfare of American women and children."
On its website, Kenvue also said it had "consistently assessed the pertinent research and there is insufficient valid information that demonstrates a verified association between consuming paracetamol and autism."
Groups acting on behalf of doctors and health professionals agree.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has stated paracetamol - the main ingredient in acetaminophen - is one of the few options for pregnant women to address discomfort and elevated temperature, which can present serious health risks if ignored.
"In more than two decades of investigation on the consumption of acetaminophen in gestation, zero credible investigations has conclusively proven that the usage of paracetamol in any trimester of pregnancy leads to brain development issues in offspring," the group stated.
The court filing references recent announcements from the former administration in asserting the drug is allegedly unsafe.
In recent weeks, the former president raised alarms from health experts when he advised women during pregnancy to "resist strongly" not to consume Tylenol when ill.
The FDA then issued a notice that doctors should contemplate reducing the consumption of acetaminophen, while also stating that "a causal relationship" between the drug and autism in young ones has not been proven.
Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who supervises the Food and Drug Administration, had promised in April to conduct "a massive testing and research effort" that would determine the source of autism spectrum disorder in a short period.
But authorities advised that discovering a single cause of autism spectrum disorder - thought by researchers to be the consequence of a intricate combination of genetic and environmental factors - would be difficult.
Autism spectrum disorder is a form of permanent neurological difference and impairment that affects how individuals encounter and relate to the environment, and is identified using physician assessments.
In his legal document, Paxton - who supports Trump who is running for federal office - claims the manufacturer and Johnson & Johnson "intentionally overlooked and attempted to silence the science" around acetaminophen and autism.
The case attempts to require the companies "eliminate any commercial messaging" that states acetaminophen is safe for expectant mothers.
This legal action echoes the concerns of a group of mothers and fathers of minors with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who took legal action against the manufacturers of acetaminophen in 2022.
Judicial authorities rejected the case, stating research from the parents' expert witnesses was lacking definitive proof.