The State of Texas Top Legal Officer Files Lawsuit Against Acetaminophen Manufacturers Concerning Autism Allegations
The top legal official in Texas Ken Paxton is taking legal action against the manufacturers of Tylenol, claiming the companies withheld safety concerns that the drug posed to children's neurological development.
The lawsuit follows four weeks after Former President Trump publicized an unverified association between taking acetaminophen - also known as acetaminophen - throughout gestation and autism spectrum disorder in children.
Paxton is taking legal action against Johnson & Johnson, which previously sold the drug, the only pain reliever suggested for pregnant women, and the current manufacturer, which presently makes it.
In a declaration, he stated they "misled consumers by making money from suffering and pushing pills ignoring the dangers."
The manufacturer asserts there is insufficient reliable data linking Tylenol to autism.
"These companies deceived for years, intentionally threatening countless individuals to line their pockets," the attorney general, from the Republican party, stated.
The company stated officially that it was "deeply concerned by the spread of false claims on the reliability of paracetamol and the likely effects that could have on the welfare of women and children in America."
On its online platform, Kenvue also stated it had "regularly reviewed the applicable studies and there is lacking reliable evidence that indicates a established connection between using paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder."
Groups representing medical professionals and healthcare providers share this view.
ACOG has stated acetaminophen - the primary component in Tylenol - is a restricted selection for pregnant women to manage pain and fever, which can present major wellness concerns if ignored.
"In over twenty years of research on the use of acetaminophen in pregnancy, not a single reputable study has successfully concluded that the consumption of paracetamol in any stage of gestation leads to neurodevelopmental disorders in young ones," the group said.
The court filing mentions recent announcements from the former administration in arguing the drug is potentially dangerous.
In recent weeks, the former president generated worry from medical authorities when he told women during pregnancy to "resist strongly" not to consume Tylenol when unwell.
The FDA then released a statement that medical professionals should think about restricting the consumption of Tylenol, while also stating that "a causal relationship" between the drug and autism spectrum disorder in minors has not been established.
Health Secretary RFK Jr, who manages the Food and Drug Administration, had vowed in spring to conduct "a massive testing and research effort" that would establish the source of autism in a short period.
But authorities advised that discovering a unique factor of autism spectrum disorder - considered by experts to be the result of a complicated interplay of genetic and external influences - would be difficult.
Autism is a type of lifelong neurodivergence and disability that impacts how people encounter and interact with the world, and is recognized using physician assessments.
In his lawsuit, the attorney general - who supports Trump who is campaigning for federal office - claims Kenvue and J&J "willfully ignored and sought to suppress the science" around paracetamol and autism.
The case seeks to make the companies "destroy any commercial messaging" that states acetaminophen is reliable for women during pregnancy.
This legal action echoes the concerns of a collection of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who took legal action against the manufacturers of acetaminophen in recently.
A federal judge dismissed the case, saying investigations from the plaintiffs' authorities was lacking definitive proof.