Texas Attorney General Takes Legal Action Against Acetaminophen Makers Concerning Autism Spectrum Allegations
The top legal official in Texas Paxton is suing the manufacturers of acetaminophen, claiming the firms withheld safety concerns that the drug created to children's cognitive development.
The court filing arrives a month after President Donald Trump publicized an unverified association between taking Tylenol - also known as acetaminophen - while pregnant and autism in young ones.
Paxton is filing suit against Johnson & Johnson, which once produced the drug, the sole analgesic recommended for expectant mothers, and the current manufacturer, which presently makes it.
In a declaration, he stated they "betrayed America by gaining financially from discomfort and marketing drugs regardless of the potential hazards."
The manufacturer states there is insufficient reliable data connecting acetaminophen to autism.
"These companies lied for decades, deliberately risking countless individuals to line their pockets," Paxton, a Republican, stated.
The manufacturer said in a statement that it was "seriously troubled by the spread of false claims on the security of acetaminophen and the possible consequences that could have on the welfare of women and children in America."
On its website, Kenvue also mentioned it had "regularly reviewed the relevant science and there is no credible data that demonstrates a verified association between consuming paracetamol and autism."
Associations speaking for medical professionals and healthcare providers share this view.
The leading OB-GYN organization has declared paracetamol - the main ingredient in acetaminophen - is among limited choices for pregnant women to manage pain and elevated temperature, which can create serious health risks if ignored.
"In more than two decades of research on the consumption of paracetamol in gestation, not a single reputable study has conclusively proven that the use of acetaminophen in any stage of pregnancy causes brain development issues in children," the group commented.
This legal action cites latest statements from the Trump administration in arguing the drug is reportedly hazardous.
Last month, the former president generated worry from health experts when he told pregnant women to "resist strongly" not to consume Tylenol when sick.
The US Food and Drug Administration then published an announcement that doctors should think about restricting the consumption of acetaminophen, while also declaring that "a direct connection" between the medication and autism in children has not been proven.
The Health Department head Robert F Kennedy Jr, who supervises the FDA, had promised in April to initiate "a massive testing and research effort" that would establish the cause of autism spectrum disorder in a matter of months.
But experts advised that finding a single cause of autism spectrum disorder - thought by researchers to be the outcome of a intricate combination of inherited and surrounding conditions - would prove challenging.
Autism spectrum disorder is a category of lifelong neurodivergence and disability that influences how people perceive and interact with the surroundings, and is identified using physician assessments.
In his lawsuit, the attorney general - who supports Trump who is running for the Senate - alleges Kenvue and J&J "deliberately disregarded and sought to suppress the science" around paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder.
This legal action attempts to require the corporations "remove any marketing or advertising" that states Tylenol is secure for women during pregnancy.
The Texas lawsuit mirrors the grievances of a group of guardians of children with autism and ADHD who sued the makers of Tylenol in 2022.
Judicial authorities rejected the case, saying research from the plaintiffs' authorities was inconclusive.