The State of Texas Top Legal Officer Sues Acetaminophen Makers Over Autism Claims
The top legal official in Texas Ken Paxton is taking legal action against the makers of Tylenol, alleging the companies concealed potential risks that the drug posed to children's neurological development.
The lawsuit comes four weeks after Former President Trump publicized an unsubstantiated connection between consuming Tylenol - referred to as paracetamol - during pregnancy and autism in children.
The attorney general is suing Johnson & Johnson, which formerly manufactured the medication, the sole analgesic recommended for expectant mothers, and the current manufacturer, which currently produces it.
In a statement, he claimed they "misled consumers by gaining financially from suffering and promoting medication without regard for the risks."
Kenvue asserts there is no credible evidence linking acetaminophen to autism spectrum disorder.
"These companies deceived for years, deliberately risking millions to line their pockets," the attorney general, from the Republican party, said.
The company stated officially that it was "deeply concerned by the perpetuation of misinformation on the safety of paracetamol and the likely effects that could have on the health of US mothers and children."
On its official site, Kenvue also stated it had "regularly reviewed the pertinent research and there is no credible data that demonstrates a established connection between taking acetaminophen and autism."
Organizations speaking for medical professionals and health professionals concur.
ACOG has declared acetaminophen - the main ingredient in Tylenol - is among limited choices for expectant mothers to treat pain and elevated temperature, which can create serious health risks if left untreated.
"In multiple decades of investigation on the use of acetaminophen in pregnancy, not a single reputable study has successfully concluded that the consumption of acetaminophen in any trimester of pregnancy leads to neurological conditions in children," the group stated.
The lawsuit cites latest statements from the Trump administration in arguing the medication is potentially dangerous.
In recent weeks, Trump generated worry from public health officials when he told expectant mothers to "fight like hell" not to take Tylenol when sick.
Federal regulators then published an announcement that physicians should think about restricting the consumption of acetaminophen, while also stating that "a proven link" between the drug and autism in children has not been established.
Health Secretary RFK Jr, who manages the FDA, had promised in spring to conduct "a massive testing and research effort" that would establish the origin of autism spectrum disorder in a short period.
But experts warned that discovering a single cause of autism spectrum disorder - thought by researchers to be the outcome of a complicated interplay of inherited and surrounding conditions - would be difficult.
Autism spectrum disorder is a form of lifelong neurodivergence and condition that affects how persons experience and relate to the world, and is identified using medical professional evaluations.
In his court filing, Paxton - who supports Trump who is seeking US Senate - alleges the manufacturer and Johnson & Johnson "willfully ignored and tried to quiet the research" around paracetamol and autism.
The lawsuit aims to force the firms "eliminate any commercial messaging" that claims acetaminophen is reliable for women during pregnancy.
This legal action echoes the complaints of a collection of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who took legal action against the makers of acetaminophen in 2022.
Judicial authorities threw out the case, saying research from the plaintiffs' authorities was lacking definitive proof.