The State of Texas Top Legal Officer Takes Legal Action Against Acetaminophen Producers Concerning Autism Assertions
The top legal official in Texas Ken Paxton is filing a lawsuit against the makers of Tylenol, claiming the firms withheld potential risks that the drug posed to pediatric neurological development.
The court filing follows a month after Former President Trump publicized an unverified association between consuming acetaminophen - referred to as paracetamol - during pregnancy and autism in children.
The attorney general is suing the pharmaceutical giant, which formerly manufactured the drug, the only pain reliever approved for expectant mothers, and the current manufacturer, which presently makes it.
In a statement, he claimed they "misled consumers by profiting off of discomfort and pushing pills ignoring the dangers."
Kenvue states there is lacking scientific proof connecting Tylenol to autism.
"These companies deceived for years, deliberately risking millions to boost earnings," the attorney general, from the Republican party, declared.
Kenvue stated officially that it was "deeply concerned by the dissemination of inaccurate information on the security of acetaminophen and the possible consequences that could have on the well-being of US mothers and children."
On its official site, Kenvue also stated it had "continuously evaluated the relevant science and there is lacking reliable evidence that indicates a proven link between consuming acetaminophen and autism."
Associations acting on behalf of medical professionals and health professionals agree.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has stated paracetamol - the main ingredient in Tylenol - is one of the few options for pregnant women to address pain and fever, which can create significant medical dangers if left untreated.
"In over twenty years of research on the use of paracetamol in gestation, not a single reputable study has conclusively proven that the consumption of acetaminophen in any trimester of gestation causes neurodevelopmental disorders in children," the group said.
The court filing cites recent announcements from the Trump administration in claiming the drug is allegedly unsafe.
Last month, the former president caused concern from public health officials when he advised pregnant women to "struggle intensely" not to consume acetaminophen when sick.
The US Food and Drug Administration then issued a notice that doctors should contemplate reducing the consumption of acetaminophen, while also declaring that "a proven link" between the drug and autism in children has remains unverified.
Health Secretary RFK Jr, who manages the FDA, had vowed in April to undertake "a massive testing and research effort" that would identify the origin of autism spectrum disorder in a limited time.
But specialists advised that identifying a sole reason of autism - believed by scientists to be the result of a complex mix of inherited and surrounding conditions - would be difficult.
Autism spectrum disorder is a category of enduring cognitive variation and condition that impacts how individuals experience and interact with the surroundings, and is diagnosed using doctors' observations.
In his lawsuit, Paxton - a Trump ally who is campaigning for US Senate - asserts Kenvue and Johnson & Johnson "willfully ignored and attempted to silence the science" around acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder.
This legal action attempts to require the companies "destroy any promotional materials" that claims acetaminophen is safe for expectant mothers.
The Texas lawsuit echoes the concerns of a group of mothers and fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who took legal action against the manufacturers of Tylenol in recently.
The court rejected the lawsuit, stating research from the family's specialists was lacking definitive proof.