The State of Texas Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against Acetaminophen Producers Over Autism Spectrum Assertions
The top legal official in Texas Ken Paxton is suing the manufacturers of acetaminophen, asserting the firms withheld alleged dangers that the medication presented to children's neurological development.
This legal action arrives thirty days after President Donald Trump publicized an unverified association between taking Tylenol - also known as acetaminophen - throughout gestation and autism in young ones.
The attorney general is suing Johnson & Johnson, which once produced the drug, the only pain reliever approved for women during pregnancy, and the current manufacturer, which currently produces it.
In a declaration, he claimed they "misled consumers by making money from suffering and pushing pills without regard for the risks."
The manufacturer says there is insufficient reliable data tying Tylenol to autism spectrum disorder.
"These companies deceived for years, knowingly endangering millions to increase profits," the attorney general, a Republican, said.
Kenvue stated officially that it was "seriously troubled by the dissemination of inaccurate information on the safety 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 "consistently assessed the relevant science and there is lacking reliable evidence that indicates a established connection between consuming acetaminophen and autism."
Groups acting on behalf of medical professionals and health professionals agree.
The leading OB-GYN organization has said paracetamol - the key substance in Tylenol - is one of the few options for women during pregnancy to manage discomfort and fever, which can present major wellness concerns if ignored.
"In more than two decades of investigation on the consumption of paracetamol in pregnancy, not a single reputable study has successfully concluded that the usage of acetaminophen in any trimester of pregnancy causes brain development issues in children," the group stated.
This legal action cites recent announcements from the former administration in arguing the drug is potentially dangerous.
Recently, the former president caused concern from public health officials when he told women during pregnancy to "struggle intensely" not to use Tylenol when unwell.
The FDA then released a statement that doctors should contemplate reducing the usage of Tylenol, while also mentioning that "a causal relationship" between the medication and autism spectrum disorder in young ones has remains unverified.
Health Secretary RFK Jr, who manages the FDA, had pledged in spring to conduct "extensive scientific investigation" that would identify the origin of autism in a short period.
But authorities cautioned that identifying a single cause of autism spectrum disorder - believed by scientists to be the outcome of a complex mix of inherited and environmental factors - would prove challenging.
Autism spectrum disorder is a form of lifelong neurodivergence and impairment that affects how people perceive and relate to the surroundings, and is identified using doctors' observations.
In his court filing, the attorney general - who supports Trump who is running for US Senate - claims the manufacturer and Johnson & Johnson "intentionally overlooked and sought to suppress the evidence" around paracetamol and autism.
The case attempts to require the firms "destroy any promotional materials" that claims Tylenol is safe for pregnant women.
The court case mirrors the concerns of a assembly of mothers and fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD who sued the manufacturers of Tylenol in 2022.
Judicial authorities threw out the legal action, declaring investigations from the family's specialists was lacking definitive proof.