Texas Top Legal Officer Files Lawsuit Against Acetaminophen Makers Over Autism Allegations
Texas Attorney General Paxton is filing a lawsuit against the makers of acetaminophen, claiming the companies withheld safety concerns that the medication created to pediatric cognitive development.
The court filing comes four weeks after Former President Trump publicized an unsubstantiated connection between taking acetaminophen - also known as paracetamol - while pregnant and autism spectrum disorder in children.
The attorney general is taking legal action against J&J, which formerly manufactured the medication, the sole analgesic recommended for women during pregnancy, and Kenvue, which currently produces it.
In a statement, he claimed they "betrayed America by making money from suffering and promoting medication without regard for the risks."
The manufacturer asserts there is lacking scientific proof connecting Tylenol to autism spectrum disorder.
"These corporations misled for generations, deliberately risking numerous people to boost earnings," the attorney general, from the Republican party, declared.
The company stated officially that it was "deeply concerned by the dissemination of inaccurate information on the safety of paracetamol and the potential impact that could have on the health of American women and children."
On its online platform, Kenvue also said it had "consistently assessed the applicable studies and there is no credible data that indicates a verified association between using paracetamol and autism."
Groups representing physicians and healthcare providers share this view.
The leading OB-GYN organization has declared paracetamol - the main ingredient in acetaminophen - is one of the few options for women during pregnancy to address discomfort and elevated temperature, which can pose major wellness concerns if not addressed.
"In more than two decades of research on the consumption of paracetamol in gestation, no reliable research has successfully concluded that the consumption of paracetamol in any trimester of gestation results in brain development issues in offspring," the group said.
The lawsuit cites latest statements from the previous government in asserting the drug is potentially dangerous.
Last month, the former president caused concern from public health officials when he instructed pregnant women to "fight like hell" not to use acetaminophen when unwell.
The US Food and Drug Administration then issued a notice that medical professionals should think about restricting the consumption of acetaminophen, while also stating that "a causal relationship" between the medication and autism in minors has not been established.
Health Secretary Kennedy, who oversees the FDA, had pledged in spring to undertake "extensive scientific investigation" that would establish the cause of autism in a short period.
But experts advised that finding a single cause of autism spectrum disorder - believed by scientists to be the outcome of a complex mix of inherited and environmental factors - would be difficult.
Autism is a form of lifelong neurodivergence and disability that impacts how persons encounter and relate to the environment, and is identified using physician assessments.
In his legal document, Paxton - who supports Trump who is seeking US Senate - asserts Kenvue and Johnson & Johnson "intentionally overlooked and sought to suppress the science" around acetaminophen and autism.
This legal action attempts to require the companies "destroy any marketing or advertising" that asserts Tylenol is safe for pregnant women.
This legal action parallels the concerns of a collection of mothers and fathers of minors with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who sued the manufacturers of Tylenol in two years ago.
Judicial authorities threw out the lawsuit, stating studies from the plaintiffs' authorities was not conclusive.