Texas Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against Acetaminophen Makers Regarding Autism Allegations
The top legal official in Texas Paxton is suing the manufacturers of acetaminophen, alleging the firms withheld potential risks that the pain reliever presented to pediatric neurological development.
The court filing arrives four weeks after Former President Trump publicized an unproven link between using Tylenol - referred to as paracetamol - while pregnant and autism spectrum disorder in young ones.
The attorney general is taking legal action against the pharmaceutical giant, which once produced the drug, the only pain reliever suggested for expectant mothers, and the current manufacturer, which currently produces it.
In a statement, he said they "betrayed America by gaining financially from discomfort and marketing drugs without regard for the risks."
The manufacturer states there is insufficient reliable data tying acetaminophen to autism.
"These corporations misled for generations, deliberately risking millions to boost earnings," the attorney general, a Republican, said.
Kenvue commented that it was "deeply concerned by the dissemination of inaccurate information on the safety of acetaminophen and the potential impact that could have on the well-being of American women and children."
On its official site, Kenvue also mentioned it had "consistently assessed the pertinent research and there is insufficient valid information that demonstrates a established connection between consuming paracetamol and autism."
Organizations speaking for doctors and healthcare providers concur.
The leading OB-GYN organization has stated acetaminophen - the main ingredient in Tylenol - is one of the few options for expectant mothers to manage pain and fever, which can create major wellness concerns if ignored.
"In multiple decades of studies on the use of acetaminophen in gestation, no reliable research has definitively established that the use of acetaminophen in any period of gestation causes neurological conditions in children," the organization said.
The lawsuit references latest statements from the former administration in arguing the drug is allegedly unsafe.
Recently, Trump caused concern from medical authorities when he told women during pregnancy to "resist strongly" not to consume acetaminophen when sick.
The US Food and Drug Administration then released a statement that physicians should contemplate reducing the use of Tylenol, while also mentioning that "a direct connection" between the drug and autism in young ones has remains unverified.
Health Secretary Kennedy, who oversees the Food and Drug Administration, had vowed in April to undertake "a massive testing and research effort" that would identify the source of autism in a limited time.
But experts cautioned that identifying a sole reason of autism - believed by scientists to be the result of a complex mix of inherited and surrounding conditions - would be difficult.
Autism spectrum disorder is a type of lifelong neurodivergence and condition that affects how individuals perceive and engage with the surroundings, and is recognized using doctors' observations.
In his court filing, Paxton - aligned with the former president who is campaigning for US Senate - claims Kenvue and J&J "deliberately disregarded and attempted to silence the science" around acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder.
This legal action attempts to require the firms "eliminate any promotional materials" that claims Tylenol is reliable for pregnant women.
The Texas lawsuit parallels the grievances of a assembly of mothers and fathers of children with autism and ADHD who took legal action against the producers of acetaminophen in 2022.
The court threw out the case, saying investigations from the parents' expert witnesses was not conclusive.