Texas Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against Tylenol Manufacturers Over Autism Spectrum Allegations
Texas Attorney General Paxton is taking legal action against the makers of acetaminophen, asserting the firms concealed safety concerns that the drug created to children's neurological development.
The lawsuit arrives a month after President Donald Trump promoted an unverified association between taking Tylenol - referred to as paracetamol - while pregnant and autism spectrum disorder in offspring.
The attorney general is taking legal action against J&J, which previously sold the drug, the exclusive pain medication suggested for pregnant women, and Kenvue, which presently makes it.
In a official comment, he claimed they "deceived the public by making money from discomfort and promoting medication regardless of the risks."
The company states there is lacking scientific proof tying acetaminophen to autism spectrum disorder.
"These corporations lied for decades, deliberately risking millions to boost earnings," the attorney general, from the Republican party, said.
The manufacturer said in a statement that it was "deeply concerned by the spread of false claims on the safety of acetaminophen and the potential impact that could have on the well-being of women and children in America."
On its online platform, Kenvue also mentioned it had "regularly reviewed the applicable studies and there is no credible data that demonstrates a proven link between consuming paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder."
Organizations acting on behalf of doctors and medical practitioners share this view.
The leading OB-GYN organization has declared acetaminophen - the key substance in acetaminophen - is among limited choices for women during pregnancy to treat pain and elevated temperature, which can present significant medical dangers if ignored.
"In over twenty years of studies on the consumption of paracetamol in pregnancy, not a single reputable study has definitively established that the use of paracetamol in any period of pregnancy leads to neurological conditions in children," the association commented.
This legal action cites current declarations from the Trump administration in arguing the drug is allegedly unsafe.
In recent weeks, the former president raised alarms from medical authorities when he told expectant mothers to "fight like hell" not to take Tylenol when ill.
The FDA then released a statement that doctors should consider limiting the usage of Tylenol, while also stating that "a direct connection" between the medication and autism spectrum disorder in young ones has not been proven.
Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who manages the Food and Drug Administration, had promised in April to initiate "a massive testing and research effort" that would identify the cause of autism spectrum disorder in a short period.
But experts cautioned that finding a single cause of autism spectrum disorder - considered by experts to be the consequence of a complicated interplay of inherited and environmental factors - would prove challenging.
Autism spectrum disorder is a category of permanent neurological difference and disability that affects how people encounter and relate to the surroundings, and is diagnosed using medical professional evaluations.
In his legal document, the attorney general - a Trump ally who is running for the Senate - asserts the manufacturer and Johnson & Johnson "willfully ignored and sought to suppress the evidence" around acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder.
The case attempts to require the firms "remove any commercial messaging" that states Tylenol is secure for pregnant women.
This legal action mirrors the grievances of a group of mothers and fathers of minors with autism and ADHD who took legal action against the manufacturers of acetaminophen in 2022.
Judicial authorities threw out the legal action, stating studies from the plaintiffs' authorities was not conclusive.