The State of Texas Top Legal Officer Files Lawsuit Against Acetaminophen Makers Regarding Autism Spectrum Allegations
Texas Attorney General Paxton is taking legal action against the makers of Tylenol, alleging the companies concealed potential risks that the pain reliever presented to pediatric neurological development.
This legal action arrives four weeks after Donald Trump publicized an unverified association between using Tylenol - also known as paracetamol - during pregnancy and autism in offspring.
Paxton is taking legal action against the pharmaceutical giant, which once produced the drug, the only pain reliever suggested for women during pregnancy, and the current manufacturer, which now manufacturers it.
In a statement, he said they "deceived the public by profiting off of discomfort and pushing pills ignoring the potential hazards."
The company states there is lacking scientific proof tying acetaminophen to autism.
"These companies lied for decades, deliberately risking countless individuals to boost earnings," the attorney general, from the Republican party, said.
The company commented that it was "seriously troubled by the spread of false claims on the reliability of paracetamol and the potential impact that could have on the well-being of American women and children."
On its official site, Kenvue also said it had "continuously evaluated the relevant science and there is lacking reliable evidence that shows a verified association between consuming acetaminophen and autism."
Associations acting on behalf of doctors and medical practitioners agree.
ACOG has stated acetaminophen - the key substance in acetaminophen - is among limited choices for women during pregnancy to address pain and elevated temperature, which can pose serious health risks if left untreated.
"In more than two decades of investigation on the use of acetaminophen in pregnancy, not a single reputable study has successfully concluded that the use of paracetamol in any period of gestation results in brain development issues in offspring," the organization said.
This legal action mentions latest statements from the former administration in arguing the medication is potentially dangerous.
In recent weeks, Trump raised alarms from medical authorities when he advised women during pregnancy to "fight like hell" not to use Tylenol when sick.
The FDA then issued a notice that medical professionals should contemplate reducing the consumption of acetaminophen, while also stating that "a direct connection" between the drug and autism in young ones has not been established.
Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who supervises the Food and Drug Administration, had vowed in spring to initiate "a massive testing and research effort" that would determine the origin of autism spectrum disorder in a limited time.
But authorities advised that discovering a single cause of autism - thought by researchers to be the outcome of a complex mix of genetic and external influences - would prove challenging.
Autism spectrum disorder is a type of enduring cognitive variation and disability that affects how people perceive and relate to the surroundings, and is identified using doctors' observations.
In his legal document, Paxton - a Trump ally who is campaigning for US Senate - claims Kenvue and Johnson & Johnson "intentionally overlooked and attempted to silence the science" around acetaminophen and autism.
This legal action seeks to make the firms "remove any promotional materials" that claims Tylenol is reliable for expectant mothers.
This legal action echoes the concerns of a assembly of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD who took legal action against the makers of acetaminophen in 2022.
A federal judge threw out the case, stating research from the parents' expert witnesses was lacking definitive proof.