Texas Attorney General Sues Acetaminophen Manufacturers Over Autism Claims
The top legal official in Texas Ken Paxton is suing the manufacturers of Tylenol, claiming the corporations withheld alleged dangers that the pain reliever presented to children's cognitive development.
The lawsuit arrives a month after Donald Trump promoted an unverified association between taking Tylenol - referred to as paracetamol - during pregnancy and autism in children.
Paxton is filing suit against Johnson & Johnson, which formerly manufactured the medication, the sole analgesic approved for pregnant women, and the current manufacturer, which now manufacturers it.
In a declaration, he claimed they "deceived the public by profiting off of pain and pushing pills ignoring the potential hazards."
The company asserts there is lacking scientific proof connecting Tylenol to autism spectrum disorder.
"These manufacturers deceived for years, knowingly endangering numerous people to line their pockets," Paxton, a Republican, declared.
Kenvue said in a statement that it was "very worried by the spread of false claims on the safety of paracetamol and the likely effects that could have on the well-being of American women and children."
On its official site, the company also said it had "consistently assessed the relevant science and there is lacking reliable evidence that shows a verified association between using acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder."
Groups acting on behalf of medical professionals and healthcare providers agree.
ACOG has stated acetaminophen - the main ingredient in Tylenol - is a restricted selection for women during pregnancy to manage pain and fever, which can present serious health risks if not addressed.
"In over twenty years of research on the consumption of acetaminophen in gestation, no reliable research has definitively established that the use of paracetamol in any stage of gestation causes neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring," the association stated.
This legal action cites current declarations from the previous government in arguing the medication is potentially dangerous.
In recent weeks, the former president generated worry from public health officials when he told expectant mothers to "resist strongly" not to consume acetaminophen when sick.
The FDA then issued a notice that medical professionals should contemplate reducing the use of Tylenol, while also mentioning that "a direct connection" between the medication and autism in young ones has remains unverified.
The Health Department head RFK Jr, who supervises the FDA, had pledged in spring to conduct "comprehensive study program" that would establish the origin of autism in a limited time.
But specialists warned that discovering a single cause of autism - believed by scientists to be the result of a complex mix of genetic and surrounding conditions - would prove challenging.
Autism spectrum disorder is a type of permanent neurological difference and disability that impacts how individuals encounter and relate to the surroundings, and is diagnosed using doctors' observations.
In his court filing, Paxton - a Trump ally who is seeking US Senate - asserts the manufacturer and J&J "willfully ignored and sought to suppress the evidence" around acetaminophen and autism.
This legal action aims to force the companies "destroy any marketing or advertising" that claims acetaminophen is secure for pregnant women.
The court case parallels the concerns of a group of mothers and fathers of minors with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who took legal action against the makers of acetaminophen in recently.
A federal judge threw out the legal action, stating investigations from the plaintiffs' authorities was inconclusive.