The State of Texas Attorney General Takes Legal Action Against Acetaminophen Manufacturers Over Autism Spectrum Assertions
The top legal official in Texas Ken Paxton is taking legal action against the manufacturers of Tylenol, asserting the firms withheld potential risks that the drug presented to children's neurological development.
This legal action comes a month after Former President Trump publicized an unverified association between using acetaminophen - alternatively called acetaminophen - during pregnancy and autism spectrum disorder in young ones.
The attorney general is suing Johnson & Johnson, which once produced the drug, the exclusive pain medication suggested for expectant mothers, and the current manufacturer, which now manufacturers it.
In a official comment, he said they "betrayed America by profiting off of discomfort and pushing pills ignoring the risks."
Kenvue says there is insufficient reliable data tying Tylenol to autism spectrum disorder.
"These companies misled for generations, intentionally threatening millions to increase profits," the attorney general, a Republican, stated.
Kenvue commented that it was "very worried by the perpetuation of misinformation 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 said it had "regularly reviewed the relevant science and there is insufficient valid information that demonstrates a proven link between taking paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder."
Groups representing medical professionals and healthcare providers concur.
ACOG has stated paracetamol - the key substance in Tylenol - is a restricted selection for women during pregnancy to address pain and fever, which can present significant medical dangers if ignored.
"In over twenty years of research on the utilization of acetaminophen in gestation, zero credible investigations has successfully concluded that the consumption of paracetamol in any stage of gestation causes neurological conditions in young ones," the organization commented.
The lawsuit references recent announcements from the previous government in claiming the drug is allegedly unsafe.
In recent weeks, the former president raised alarms from health experts when he advised pregnant women to "fight like hell" not to take Tylenol when unwell.
The FDA then published an announcement that doctors should consider limiting the use of acetaminophen, while also declaring that "a proven link" between the drug and autism spectrum disorder in children has not been proven.
Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who manages the FDA, had promised in April to undertake "comprehensive study program" that would determine the cause of autism spectrum disorder in a matter of months.
But specialists advised that identifying a sole reason of autism - thought by researchers to be the outcome of a complicated interplay of genetic and environmental factors - would not be simple.
Autism spectrum disorder is a form of permanent neurological difference and condition that impacts how people encounter and engage with the environment, and is recognized using doctors' observations.
In his lawsuit, the attorney general - who supports Trump who is running for US Senate - claims Kenvue and J&J "deliberately disregarded and tried to quiet the research" around paracetamol and autism.
This legal action attempts to require the corporations "eliminate any commercial messaging" that claims Tylenol is reliable for expectant mothers.
The Texas lawsuit echoes the grievances of a collection of mothers and fathers of children with autism and ADHD who took legal action against the manufacturers of acetaminophen in 2022.
A federal judge threw out the case, stating research from the parents' expert witnesses was inconclusive.