Texas Top Legal Officer Takes Legal Action Against Tylenol Producers Over Autism Claims
Texas Attorney General Paxton is filing a lawsuit against the makers of Tylenol, claiming the companies hid potential risks that the medication created to pediatric cognitive development.
The lawsuit arrives four weeks after Former President Trump promoted an unverified association between using acetaminophen - also known as paracetamol - while pregnant and autism spectrum disorder in young ones.
The attorney general is suing Johnson & Johnson, which formerly manufactured the drug, the only pain reliever suggested for expectant mothers, and Kenvue, which now manufacturers it.
In a declaration, he said they "betrayed America by profiting off of pain and marketing drugs without regard for the potential hazards."
Kenvue says there is lacking scientific proof connecting Tylenol to autism.
"These manufacturers lied for decades, knowingly endangering countless individuals to line their pockets," the attorney general, from the Republican party, declared.
The manufacturer commented that it was "seriously troubled by the spread of false claims on the reliability of acetaminophen and the possible consequences that could have on the welfare of US mothers and children."
On its website, Kenvue also said it had "continuously evaluated the relevant science and there is no credible data that shows a established connection between taking acetaminophen and autism."
Groups speaking for doctors and healthcare providers agree.
The leading OB-GYN organization has declared acetaminophen - the main ingredient in acetaminophen - is one of the few options for expectant mothers to address discomfort and fever, which can pose serious health risks if left untreated.
"In over twenty years of investigation on the use of acetaminophen in pregnancy, no reliable research has successfully concluded that the usage of paracetamol in any stage of pregnancy results in neurological conditions in offspring," the association said.
The lawsuit mentions current declarations from the Trump administration in arguing the drug is allegedly unsafe.
Recently, the former president raised alarms from health experts when he advised pregnant women to "struggle intensely" not to consume Tylenol when sick.
The US Food and Drug Administration then published an announcement that medical professionals should think about restricting the consumption of acetaminophen, while also mentioning that "a causal relationship" between the medication and autism spectrum disorder in minors has not been established.
Health Secretary RFK Jr, who supervises the FDA, had vowed in April to undertake "comprehensive study program" that would identify the source of autism in a matter of months.
But authorities warned that discovering a sole reason of autism spectrum disorder - considered by experts to be the consequence of a complex mix of genetic and external influences - would prove challenging.
Autism is a form of permanent neurological difference and disability that impacts how persons encounter and engage with the world, and is diagnosed using medical professional evaluations.
In his court filing, Paxton - who supports Trump who is seeking federal office - claims the manufacturer and J&J "willfully ignored and sought to suppress the research" around paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder.
This legal action attempts to require the companies "destroy any marketing or advertising" that states acetaminophen is secure for women during pregnancy.
The court case parallels the concerns of a assembly of guardians of children with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who took legal action against the manufacturers of acetaminophen in 2022.
A federal judge threw out the lawsuit, saying investigations from the parents' expert witnesses was not conclusive.