Texas Attorney General Takes Legal Action Against Tylenol Makers Regarding Autism Spectrum Allegations
The top legal official in Texas Paxton is suing the manufacturers of Tylenol, alleging the corporations withheld potential risks that the pain reliever posed to children's cognitive development.
This legal action arrives thirty days after President Donald Trump publicized an unproven link between taking Tylenol - referred to as acetaminophen - while pregnant and autism in young ones.
The attorney general is filing suit against Johnson & Johnson, which formerly manufactured the drug, the only pain reliever approved for women during pregnancy, and Kenvue, which presently makes it.
In a official comment, he claimed they "deceived the public by profiting off of discomfort and promoting medication regardless of the risks."
Kenvue asserts there is insufficient reliable data linking Tylenol to autism.
"These companies lied for decades, knowingly endangering numerous people to increase profits," Paxton, from the Republican party, stated.
Kenvue said in a statement that it was "seriously troubled by the spread of false claims on the safety of acetaminophen and the likely effects that could have on the welfare of American women and children."
On its official site, the company also said it had "continuously evaluated the relevant science and there is no credible data that shows a established connection between consuming acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder."
Organizations speaking for physicians and medical practitioners concur.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has declared paracetamol - the key substance in acetaminophen - is among limited choices for pregnant women to address pain and elevated temperature, which can create major wellness concerns if ignored.
"In more than two decades of investigation on the use of paracetamol in gestation, not a single reputable study has successfully concluded that the usage of paracetamol in any period of gestation results in neurodevelopmental disorders in children," the association commented.
This legal action mentions latest statements from the Trump administration in arguing the medication is potentially dangerous.
Last month, Trump raised alarms from health experts when he advised expectant mothers to "fight like hell" not to take Tylenol when sick.
The US Food and Drug Administration then issued a notice that doctors should think about restricting the use of Tylenol, while also mentioning that "a direct connection" between the drug and autism spectrum disorder in children has not been proven.
Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who oversees the Food and Drug Administration, had vowed in April to conduct "extensive scientific investigation" that would establish the cause of autism in a short period.
But specialists warned that discovering a unique factor of autism - considered by experts to be the consequence of a complex mix of inherited and external influences - would be difficult.
Autism spectrum disorder is a form of lifelong neurodivergence and disability that influences how persons perceive and engage with the environment, and is diagnosed using medical professional evaluations.
In his lawsuit, Paxton - aligned with the former president who is running for US Senate - asserts the manufacturer and Johnson & Johnson "intentionally overlooked and tried to quiet the research" around acetaminophen and autism.
The case aims to force the corporations "remove any marketing or advertising" that asserts acetaminophen is secure for expectant mothers.
This legal action mirrors the concerns of a collection of parents of children with autism and ADHD who sued the makers of acetaminophen in 2022.
Judicial authorities dismissed the case, declaring studies from the plaintiffs' authorities was lacking definitive proof.