The State of Texas Attorney General Takes Legal Action Against Tylenol Manufacturers Concerning Autism Spectrum Claims
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is taking legal action against the makers of acetaminophen, asserting the firms hid potential risks that the pain reliever posed to children's brain development.
The court filing comes thirty days after Donald Trump publicized an unverified association between using acetaminophen - referred to as paracetamol - while pregnant and autism spectrum disorder in young ones.
The attorney general is taking legal action against J&J, which once produced the medication, the only pain reliever suggested for pregnant women, and the current manufacturer, which presently makes it.
In a official comment, he stated they "misled consumers by gaining financially from pain and marketing drugs ignoring the dangers."
The manufacturer asserts there is no credible evidence linking Tylenol to autism.
"These manufacturers misled for generations, intentionally threatening countless individuals to line their pockets," Paxton, a Republican, said.
The manufacturer said in a statement that it was "deeply concerned by the spread of false claims on the security of paracetamol and the possible consequences that could have on the welfare of American women and children."
On its online platform, Kenvue also mentioned it had "continuously evaluated the pertinent research and there is no credible data that shows a proven link between using acetaminophen and autism."
Groups acting on behalf of doctors and health professionals agree.
The leading OB-GYN organization has said acetaminophen - the primary component in acetaminophen - is among limited choices for pregnant women to manage pain and fever, which can pose serious health risks if not addressed.
"In over twenty years of research on the consumption of acetaminophen in gestation, zero credible investigations has conclusively proven that the usage of paracetamol in any period of pregnancy leads to neurological conditions in children," the association commented.
The court filing cites latest statements from the Trump administration in claiming the drug is allegedly unsafe.
Last month, Trump caused concern from medical authorities when he instructed women during pregnancy to "fight like hell" not to take acetaminophen when unwell.
The FDA then issued a notice that doctors should consider limiting the usage of acetaminophen, while also mentioning that "a proven link" between the drug and autism spectrum disorder in young ones has remains unverified.
The Health Department head Robert F Kennedy Jr, who oversees the FDA, had pledged in April to conduct "extensive scientific investigation" that would identify the cause of autism in a limited time.
But specialists warned that discovering a sole reason of autism - considered by experts to be the result of a intricate combination of genetic and environmental factors - would not be simple.
Autism spectrum disorder is a category of enduring cognitive variation and impairment that affects how people perceive and relate to the environment, and is identified using physician assessments.
In his court filing, Paxton - aligned with the former president who is campaigning for the Senate - claims Kenvue and J&J "deliberately disregarded and tried to quiet the evidence" around paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder.
The lawsuit seeks to make the companies "remove any marketing or advertising" that claims acetaminophen is secure for expectant mothers.
The Texas lawsuit echoes the grievances of a assembly of mothers and fathers of minors with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD who sued the producers of Tylenol in 2022.
A federal judge dismissed the case, saying studies from the parents' expert witnesses was not conclusive.