The State of Texas Top Legal Officer Sues Tylenol Manufacturers Over Autism Claims
The top legal official in Texas Ken Paxton is filing a lawsuit against the producers of Tylenol, claiming the corporations hid safety concerns that the drug created to pediatric neurological development.
The court filing arrives a month after Donald Trump publicized an unsubstantiated connection between using Tylenol - also known as paracetamol - while pregnant and autism spectrum disorder in children.
Paxton is suing the pharmaceutical giant, which once produced the drug, the sole analgesic approved for pregnant women, and Kenvue, which now manufacturers it.
In a statement, he stated they "deceived the public by gaining financially from discomfort and marketing drugs ignoring the risks."
Kenvue states there is lacking scientific proof linking Tylenol to autism spectrum disorder.
"These companies misled for generations, knowingly endangering millions to boost earnings," Paxton, a Republican, declared.
The company stated officially that it was "deeply concerned by the dissemination of inaccurate information on the safety of acetaminophen and the possible consequences that could have on the welfare of women and children in America."
On its official site, the company also mentioned it had "regularly reviewed the pertinent research and there is lacking reliable evidence that indicates a established connection between using acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder."
Associations speaking for physicians and healthcare providers share this view.
ACOG has said acetaminophen - the primary component in Tylenol - is a restricted selection for women during pregnancy to manage pain and elevated temperature, which can pose major wellness concerns if left untreated.
"In over twenty years of research on the utilization of acetaminophen in gestation, zero credible investigations has conclusively proven that the use of acetaminophen in any period of pregnancy causes brain development issues in young ones," the group said.
This legal action cites latest statements from the Trump administration in arguing the drug is potentially dangerous.
In recent weeks, Trump raised alarms from health experts when he told women during pregnancy to "resist strongly" not to take acetaminophen when sick.
Federal regulators then published an announcement that medical professionals should consider limiting the use of Tylenol, while also stating that "a proven link" between the drug and autism spectrum disorder in young ones has not been established.
The Health Department head Robert F Kennedy Jr, who manages the FDA, had promised in spring to undertake "a massive testing and research effort" that would establish the source of autism in a limited time.
But experts cautioned that finding a single cause of autism spectrum disorder - believed by scientists to be the consequence of a intricate combination of genetic and surrounding conditions - would be difficult.
Autism is a type of enduring cognitive variation and condition that impacts how persons perceive and interact with the environment, and is diagnosed using doctors' observations.
In his court filing, the attorney general - a Trump ally who is running for US Senate - alleges the manufacturer and J&J "willfully ignored and tried to quiet the evidence" around acetaminophen and autism.
This legal action seeks to make the corporations "eliminate any commercial messaging" that claims acetaminophen is safe for expectant mothers.
The Texas lawsuit echoes the concerns of a group of mothers and fathers of young ones with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who filed suit against the producers of acetaminophen in 2022.
The court dismissed the legal action, stating investigations from the family's specialists was inconclusive.