Texas Attorney General Takes Legal Action Against Tylenol Manufacturers Concerning Autism Claims
Texas Attorney General Paxton is filing a lawsuit against the producers of acetaminophen, claiming the companies withheld potential risks that the pain reliever presented to children's cognitive development.
The lawsuit comes four weeks after President Donald Trump promoted an unsubstantiated connection between using Tylenol - referred to as acetaminophen - during pregnancy and autism spectrum disorder in children.
The attorney general is filing suit against the pharmaceutical giant, which once produced the drug, the only pain reliever approved for pregnant women, and Kenvue, which now manufacturers it.
In a declaration, he said they "misled consumers by profiting off of suffering and pushing pills ignoring the potential hazards."
Kenvue says there is no credible evidence connecting acetaminophen to autism.
"These corporations misled for generations, knowingly endangering millions to line their pockets," Paxton, from the Republican party, stated.
The manufacturer stated officially that it was "seriously troubled by the spread of false claims on the security of paracetamol and the potential impact that could have on the health of American women and children."
On its online platform, the company also said it had "regularly reviewed the pertinent research and there is no credible data that shows a established connection between consuming paracetamol and autism."
Organizations acting on behalf of medical professionals and medical practitioners share this view.
ACOG has said acetaminophen - the primary component in acetaminophen - is a restricted selection for pregnant women to manage pain and fever, which can create serious health risks if ignored.
"In over twenty years of research on the use of acetaminophen in pregnancy, zero credible investigations has successfully concluded that the usage of paracetamol in any stage of pregnancy results in neurodevelopmental disorders in young ones," the association stated.
The lawsuit cites latest statements from the former administration in claiming the medication is allegedly unsafe.
Last month, the former president caused concern from public health officials when he advised expectant mothers to "struggle intensely" not to consume acetaminophen when ill.
The FDA then issued a notice that medical professionals should consider limiting the usage of Tylenol, while also declaring that "a proven link" between the drug and autism in young ones has not been proven.
The Health Department head RFK Jr, who manages the FDA, had vowed in spring to undertake "a massive testing and research effort" that would identify the origin of autism in a matter of months.
But experts warned that discovering a single cause of autism spectrum disorder - considered by experts to be the consequence of a complicated interplay of inherited and external influences - would be difficult.
Autism is a form of permanent neurological difference and condition that impacts how individuals encounter and engage with the surroundings, and is recognized using medical professional evaluations.
In his legal document, the attorney general - a Trump ally who is seeking federal office - alleges Kenvue and Johnson & Johnson "deliberately disregarded and tried to quiet the science" around acetaminophen and autism.
The lawsuit seeks to make the companies "remove any marketing or advertising" that asserts Tylenol is safe for women during pregnancy.
The court case parallels the concerns of a collection of parents of children with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who filed suit against the producers of acetaminophen in two years ago.
A federal judge rejected the legal action, stating research from the parents' expert witnesses was lacking definitive proof.