Texas Attorney General Sues Acetaminophen Manufacturers Concerning Autism Spectrum Claims
Texas Attorney General Paxton is suing the makers of Tylenol, alleging the companies withheld alleged dangers that the drug posed to pediatric cognitive development.
The court filing arrives four weeks after Donald Trump advocated an unsubstantiated connection between taking acetaminophen - alternatively called paracetamol - throughout gestation and autism in offspring.
The attorney general is taking legal action against J&J, which once produced the drug, the exclusive pain medication recommended for pregnant women, and the current manufacturer, which presently makes it.
In a statement, he stated they "deceived the public by gaining financially from suffering and marketing drugs ignoring the risks."
The manufacturer says there is insufficient reliable data tying acetaminophen to autism spectrum disorder.
"These manufacturers misled for generations, deliberately risking millions to line their pockets," the attorney general, from the Republican party, said.
The manufacturer said in a statement that it was "very worried by the perpetuation of misinformation on the safety of acetaminophen and the possible consequences that could have on the well-being of women and children in America."
On its website, the company also stated it had "regularly reviewed the applicable studies and there is lacking reliable evidence that shows a verified association between taking paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder."
Organizations representing medical professionals and health professionals share this view.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has said acetaminophen - the primary component in Tylenol - is among limited choices for expectant mothers to treat pain and fever, which can present major wellness concerns if left untreated.
"In over twenty years of investigation on the use of acetaminophen in gestation, no reliable research has successfully concluded that the usage of paracetamol in any stage of gestation causes neurological conditions in children," the association said.
This legal action cites recent announcements from the Trump administration in arguing the drug is potentially dangerous.
Recently, Trump generated worry from health experts when he told pregnant women to "fight like hell" not to consume acetaminophen when unwell.
The FDA then issued a notice that doctors should consider limiting the usage of Tylenol, while also declaring that "a causal relationship" between the medication and autism spectrum disorder in children has not been established.
Health Secretary RFK Jr, who supervises the Food and Drug Administration, had promised in April to initiate "comprehensive study program" that would determine the source of autism spectrum disorder in a limited time.
But authorities cautioned that identifying a unique factor of autism spectrum disorder - believed by scientists to be the outcome of a complex mix of inherited and environmental factors - would not be simple.
Autism is a type of permanent neurological difference and impairment that impacts how people encounter and interact with the environment, and is recognized using doctors' observations.
In his legal document, the attorney general - aligned with the former president who is campaigning for US Senate - alleges Kenvue and Johnson & Johnson "deliberately disregarded and attempted to silence the evidence" around paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder.
The case seeks to make the companies "remove any commercial messaging" that states acetaminophen is safe for women during pregnancy.
The Texas lawsuit echoes the concerns of a collection of guardians of minors with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who filed suit against the producers of acetaminophen in two years ago.
A federal judge threw out the legal action, declaring studies from the parents' expert witnesses was not conclusive.