🔗 Share this article

The top legal official in Texas Paxton is suing the manufacturers of Tylenol, claiming the firms hid safety concerns that the drug posed to children's cognitive development.

This legal action comes thirty days after President Donald Trump publicized an unsubstantiated connection between using acetaminophen - alternatively called acetaminophen - during pregnancy and autism spectrum disorder in offspring.

The attorney general is suing Johnson & Johnson, which formerly manufactured the medication, the only pain reliever recommended for expectant mothers, and Kenvue, which now manufacturers it.

In a official comment, he stated they "betrayed America by profiting off of discomfort and marketing drugs regardless of the dangers."

The company asserts there is no credible evidence linking Tylenol to autism spectrum disorder.

"These companies lied for decades, knowingly endangering numerous people to boost earnings," Paxton, a Republican, stated.

Kenvue said in a statement that it was "deeply concerned by the perpetuation of misinformation on the reliability of paracetamol and the possible consequences that could have on the health of women and children in America."

On its online platform, Kenvue also mentioned it had "consistently assessed the relevant science and there is insufficient valid information that indicates a established connection between taking paracetamol and autism."

Groups speaking for doctors and health professionals agree.

The leading OB-GYN organization has said acetaminophen - the primary component in acetaminophen - is one of the few options for women during pregnancy to treat pain and fever, which can pose major wellness concerns if not addressed.

"In multiple decades of investigation on the use of acetaminophen in gestation, zero credible investigations has successfully concluded that the usage of acetaminophen in any stage of gestation leads to neurodevelopmental disorders in children," the organization stated.

The lawsuit references current declarations from the Trump administration in claiming the medication is allegedly unsafe.

Recently, the former president caused concern from public health officials when he instructed expectant mothers to "fight like hell" not to consume acetaminophen when unwell.

Federal regulators then released a statement that physicians should contemplate reducing the usage of acetaminophen, while also stating that "a causal relationship" between the medication and autism spectrum disorder in minors has not been proven.

The Health Department head RFK Jr, who oversees the Food and Drug Administration, had promised in April to conduct "comprehensive study program" that would identify the cause of autism in a limited time.

But authorities cautioned that discovering a unique factor of autism spectrum disorder - considered by experts to be the outcome of a complicated interplay of inherited and environmental factors - would prove challenging.

Autism is a type of lifelong neurodivergence and disability that affects how individuals perceive and interact with the surroundings, and is identified using physician assessments.

In his legal document, Paxton - aligned with the former president who is running for the Senate - asserts the manufacturer and J&J "willfully ignored and sought to suppress the evidence" around paracetamol and autism.

This legal action aims to force the firms "destroy any marketing or advertising" that asserts acetaminophen is secure for women during pregnancy.

The court case echoes the grievances of a collection of guardians of children with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who filed suit against the makers of Tylenol in 2022.

The court dismissed the case, stating studies from the plaintiffs' authorities was inconclusive.