The State of Texas Top Legal Officer Takes Legal Action Against Acetaminophen Producers Concerning Autism Allegations
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is taking legal action against the manufacturers of Tylenol, asserting the corporations hid safety concerns that the drug posed to children's brain development.
The court filing arrives four weeks after President Donald Trump publicized an unverified association between using acetaminophen - alternatively called acetaminophen - while pregnant and autism spectrum disorder in offspring.
Paxton is suing Johnson & Johnson, which previously sold the drug, the only pain reliever suggested for women during pregnancy, and the current manufacturer, which presently makes it.
In a statement, he stated they "betrayed America by profiting off of suffering and pushing pills ignoring the potential hazards."
Kenvue states there is insufficient reliable data connecting acetaminophen to autism spectrum disorder.
"These manufacturers misled for generations, intentionally threatening millions to boost earnings," Paxton, from the Republican party, stated.
Kenvue commented that it was "deeply concerned by the perpetuation of misinformation on the security of paracetamol and the possible consequences that could have on the health of women and children in America."
On its online platform, Kenvue also mentioned it had "continuously evaluated the pertinent research and there is lacking reliable evidence that shows a verified association between consuming acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder."
Associations acting on behalf of doctors and healthcare providers share this view.
ACOG has said acetaminophen - the main ingredient in acetaminophen - is among limited choices for women during pregnancy to address discomfort and fever, which can create significant medical dangers if not addressed.
"In more than two decades of investigation on the utilization of acetaminophen in pregnancy, not a single reputable study has definitively established that the use of paracetamol in any stage of gestation leads to brain development issues in young ones," the organization stated.
The lawsuit references latest statements from the Trump administration in asserting the drug is reportedly hazardous.
Recently, Trump generated worry from medical authorities when he advised pregnant women to "resist strongly" not to consume acetaminophen when sick.
The FDA then published an announcement that physicians should contemplate reducing the use of acetaminophen, while also stating that "a causal relationship" between the drug and autism in children has remains unverified.
The Health Department head RFK Jr, who manages the Food and Drug Administration, had vowed in spring to undertake "extensive scientific investigation" that would establish the origin of autism in a limited time.
But authorities warned that finding a unique factor of autism spectrum disorder - thought by researchers to be the result of a complicated interplay of inherited and external influences - would prove challenging.
Autism spectrum disorder is a category of enduring cognitive variation and impairment that impacts how persons encounter and interact with the surroundings, and is identified using medical professional evaluations.
In his court filing, the attorney general - a Trump ally who is campaigning for federal office - alleges the manufacturer and Johnson & Johnson "deliberately disregarded and attempted to silence the research" around acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder.
This legal action aims to force the corporations "eliminate any promotional materials" that states Tylenol is safe for women during pregnancy.
The court case mirrors the concerns of a collection of parents of minors with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD who filed suit against the producers of Tylenol in 2022.
A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit, saying research from the parents' expert witnesses was not conclusive.