The State of Texas Top Legal Officer Sues Tylenol Producers Regarding Autism Spectrum Allegations
The top legal official in Texas Ken Paxton is taking legal action against the makers of acetaminophen, asserting the firms concealed potential risks that the drug posed to pediatric neurological development.
This legal action follows four weeks after Former President Trump publicized an unsubstantiated connection between taking Tylenol - also known as paracetamol - during pregnancy and autism spectrum disorder in children.
The attorney general is suing J&J, which previously sold the medication, the exclusive pain medication recommended for women during pregnancy, and the current manufacturer, which presently makes it.
In a statement, he said they "deceived the public by profiting off of discomfort and marketing drugs without regard for the risks."
Kenvue states there is insufficient reliable data linking acetaminophen to autism spectrum disorder.
"These companies lied for decades, knowingly endangering numerous people to line their pockets," the attorney general, a Republican, declared.
The manufacturer said in a statement that it was "deeply concerned by the spread of false claims on the safety of acetaminophen and the likely effects that could have on the welfare of women and children in America."
On its online platform, Kenvue also stated it had "regularly reviewed the relevant science and there is insufficient valid information that demonstrates a established connection between consuming acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder."
Associations representing physicians and health professionals concur.
ACOG has said paracetamol - the main ingredient in acetaminophen - is a restricted selection for women during pregnancy to address pain and elevated temperature, which can create major wellness concerns if left untreated.
"In over twenty years of investigation on the utilization of paracetamol in pregnancy, no reliable research has definitively established that the use of paracetamol in any stage of pregnancy results in neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring," the association said.
The lawsuit mentions current declarations from the previous government in claiming the medication is potentially dangerous.
Recently, Trump caused concern from public health officials when he instructed expectant mothers to "fight like hell" not to take Tylenol when sick.
Federal regulators then released a statement that medical professionals should contemplate reducing the consumption of acetaminophen, while also declaring that "a proven link" between the medication and autism spectrum disorder in children has remains unverified.
Health Secretary Kennedy, who oversees the FDA, had promised in April to initiate "comprehensive study program" that would identify the origin of autism in a matter of months.
But authorities advised that finding a sole reason of autism spectrum disorder - considered by experts to be the consequence of a complex mix of inherited and environmental factors - would prove challenging.
Autism is a category of permanent neurological difference and impairment that impacts how individuals encounter and engage with the environment, and is recognized using doctors' observations.
In his court filing, Paxton - a Trump ally who is running for US Senate - alleges the manufacturer and Johnson & Johnson "willfully ignored and tried to quiet the research" around paracetamol and autism.
The lawsuit aims to force the firms "remove any promotional materials" that claims acetaminophen is safe for women during pregnancy.
The court case mirrors the concerns of a collection of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who filed suit against the producers of Tylenol in two years ago.
The court threw out the legal action, saying research from the parents' expert witnesses was not conclusive.