The State of Texas Attorney General Takes Legal Action Against Acetaminophen Makers Over Autism Spectrum Assertions
The top legal official in Texas Ken Paxton is suing the makers of Tylenol, alleging the firms withheld potential risks that the drug created to pediatric brain development.
The lawsuit comes a month after Donald Trump promoted an unsubstantiated connection between consuming Tylenol - also known as acetaminophen - during pregnancy and autism in children.
The attorney general is filing suit against Johnson & Johnson, which formerly manufactured the drug, the exclusive pain medication 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 marketing drugs ignoring the potential hazards."
Kenvue asserts there is no credible evidence connecting Tylenol to autism spectrum disorder.
"These manufacturers lied for decades, deliberately risking countless individuals to increase profits," the attorney general, from the Republican party, said.
The manufacturer commented that it was "very worried by the perpetuation of misinformation on the safety of paracetamol and the potential impact that could have on the health of US mothers and children."
On its online platform, Kenvue also stated it had "continuously evaluated the relevant science and there is no credible data that demonstrates a proven link between taking paracetamol and autism."
Associations acting on behalf of doctors and medical practitioners share this view.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has stated paracetamol - the main ingredient in acetaminophen - is among limited choices for pregnant women to address pain and elevated temperature, which can present serious health risks if not addressed.
"In multiple decades of studies on the utilization of acetaminophen in pregnancy, no reliable research has definitively established that the usage of acetaminophen in any trimester of gestation leads to brain development issues in young ones," the association commented.
The court filing cites recent announcements from the Trump administration in arguing the drug is potentially dangerous.
Last month, Trump generated worry from public health officials when he told pregnant women to "resist strongly" not to consume Tylenol when sick.
Federal regulators then published an announcement that medical professionals should consider limiting the use of Tylenol, while also stating that "a proven link" between the drug and autism spectrum disorder in children has not been established.
The Health Department head RFK Jr, who manages the FDA, had pledged in April to undertake "extensive scientific investigation" that would identify the cause of autism spectrum disorder in a short period.
But specialists advised that finding a sole reason of autism - considered by experts to be the outcome of a complicated interplay of inherited and environmental factors - would prove challenging.
Autism is a category of lifelong neurodivergence and impairment that influences how people encounter and interact with the environment, and is diagnosed using physician assessments.
In his lawsuit, the attorney general - a Trump ally who is campaigning for federal office - asserts the manufacturer and Johnson & Johnson "intentionally overlooked and sought to suppress the research" around paracetamol and autism.
This legal action attempts to require the companies "destroy any promotional materials" that states Tylenol is reliable for expectant mothers.
This legal action echoes the grievances of a assembly of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD who filed suit against the producers of acetaminophen in recently.
A federal judge rejected the lawsuit, saying research from the family's specialists was lacking definitive proof.