The State of Texas Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against Tylenol Producers Regarding Autism Spectrum Assertions
Texas Attorney General Paxton is suing the manufacturers of Tylenol, alleging the corporations concealed potential risks that the drug posed to children's cognitive development.
The lawsuit follows a month after Donald Trump publicized an unverified association between taking acetaminophen - also known as paracetamol - throughout gestation and autism in young ones.
Paxton is suing J&J, which once produced the medication, the sole analgesic recommended for women during pregnancy, and the current manufacturer, which currently produces it.
In a statement, he said they "misled consumers by making money from suffering and marketing drugs ignoring the dangers."
Kenvue states there is insufficient reliable data connecting acetaminophen to autism spectrum disorder.
"These manufacturers misled for generations, intentionally threatening millions to increase profits," Paxton, a Republican, said.
Kenvue said in a statement that it was "seriously troubled by the spread of false claims on the safety of paracetamol and the possible consequences that could have on the well-being of American women and children."
On its website, the company also said it had "regularly reviewed the pertinent research and there is no credible data that shows a verified association between taking acetaminophen and autism."
Groups acting on behalf of medical professionals and health professionals concur.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has declared paracetamol - the key substance in Tylenol - is among limited choices for expectant mothers to manage discomfort and elevated temperature, which can pose significant medical dangers if not addressed.
"In over twenty years of investigation on the utilization of paracetamol in gestation, zero credible investigations has conclusively proven that the consumption of paracetamol in any stage of gestation results in neurodevelopmental disorders in young ones," the group said.
This legal action mentions current declarations from the Trump administration in asserting the medication is reportedly hazardous.
In recent weeks, the former president raised alarms from public health officials when he told pregnant women to "resist strongly" not to use Tylenol when sick.
Federal regulators then released a statement that doctors should consider limiting the usage of acetaminophen, while also stating that "a causal relationship" between the medication and autism spectrum disorder in minors has remains unverified.
The Health Department head RFK Jr, who manages the Food and Drug Administration, had vowed in spring to initiate "a massive testing and research effort" that would establish the origin of autism spectrum disorder in a limited time.
But authorities advised that identifying a single cause of autism spectrum disorder - thought by researchers to be the outcome of a intricate combination of inherited and environmental factors - would be difficult.
Autism spectrum disorder is a form of lifelong neurodivergence and impairment that affects how individuals encounter and relate to the world, and is diagnosed using physician assessments.
In his court filing, the attorney general - aligned with the former president who is running for US Senate - claims the manufacturer and J&J "willfully ignored and attempted to silence the science" around acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder.
The case aims to force the corporations "remove any commercial messaging" that states Tylenol is safe for pregnant women.
The Texas lawsuit echoes the concerns of a assembly of mothers and fathers of minors with autism and ADHD who filed suit against the makers of acetaminophen in 2022.
Judicial authorities threw out the legal action, saying research from the parents' expert witnesses was inconclusive.