Texas Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against Tylenol Manufacturers Over Autism Spectrum Allegations
Texas Attorney General Paxton is suing the manufacturers of Tylenol, claiming the corporations withheld alleged dangers that the pain reliever created to pediatric brain development.
This legal action arrives thirty days after Former President Trump advocated an unproven link between consuming acetaminophen - alternatively called acetaminophen - during pregnancy and autism spectrum disorder in offspring.
The attorney general is filing suit against the pharmaceutical giant, which previously sold the medication, the exclusive pain medication suggested for women during pregnancy, and Kenvue, which currently produces it.
In a statement, he stated they "betrayed America by gaining financially from suffering and promoting medication regardless of the potential hazards."
The manufacturer says there is insufficient reliable data connecting acetaminophen to autism.
"These corporations lied for decades, deliberately risking numerous people to increase profits," the attorney general, a Republican, declared.
Kenvue said in a statement that it was "very worried by the perpetuation of misinformation on the security of acetaminophen and the likely effects that could have on the welfare of American women and children."
On its online platform, the company also stated it had "regularly reviewed the applicable studies and there is lacking reliable evidence that indicates a established connection between consuming paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder."
Organizations speaking for physicians and health professionals share this view.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has stated paracetamol - the key substance in acetaminophen - is among limited choices for women during pregnancy to manage discomfort and elevated temperature, which can present significant medical dangers if left untreated.
"In over twenty years of studies on the utilization of paracetamol in gestation, no reliable research has conclusively proven that the use of acetaminophen in any period of pregnancy results in brain development issues in young ones," the organization said.
The court filing references latest statements from the Trump administration in claiming the drug is reportedly hazardous.
Last month, the former president caused concern from medical authorities when he told women during pregnancy to "struggle intensely" not to consume acetaminophen when unwell.
Federal regulators then published an announcement that medical professionals should contemplate reducing the use of acetaminophen, while also stating that "a causal relationship" between the medication and autism spectrum disorder in children has not been proven.
Health Secretary Kennedy, who manages the FDA, had promised in April to initiate "comprehensive study program" that would determine the origin of autism spectrum disorder in a limited time.
But experts advised that identifying a single cause of autism - believed by scientists to be the result of a intricate combination of genetic and external influences - would not be simple.
Autism is a category of lifelong neurodivergence and impairment that impacts how individuals perceive and engage with the surroundings, and is diagnosed using doctors' observations.
In his legal document, the attorney general - who supports Trump who is seeking US Senate - claims the manufacturer and J&J "intentionally overlooked and tried to quiet the science" around paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder.
This legal action attempts to require the companies "eliminate any promotional materials" that claims Tylenol is secure for pregnant women.
The court case mirrors the concerns of a assembly of guardians of children with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who sued the manufacturers of acetaminophen in 2022.
Judicial authorities threw out the case, stating studies from the plaintiffs' authorities was inconclusive.