The State of Texas Top Legal Officer Sues Tylenol Makers Regarding Autism Assertions

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is filing a lawsuit against the makers of acetaminophen, asserting the firms hid potential risks that the pain reliever posed to children's neurological development.

The court filing arrives a month after President Donald Trump publicized an unsubstantiated connection between taking Tylenol - referred to as acetaminophen - while pregnant and autism spectrum disorder in offspring.

Paxton is suing the pharmaceutical giant, which previously sold the medication, the exclusive pain medication recommended for expectant mothers, and the current manufacturer, which currently produces it.

In a declaration, he said they "deceived the public by gaining financially from discomfort and promoting medication ignoring the dangers."

The manufacturer says there is no credible evidence connecting acetaminophen to autism spectrum disorder.

"These companies deceived for years, knowingly endangering millions to increase profits," Paxton, from the Republican party, declared.

The manufacturer stated officially that it was "deeply concerned by the perpetuation of misinformation on the security of acetaminophen and the possible consequences that could have on the well-being of American women and children."

On its online platform, the company also said it had "consistently assessed the pertinent research and there is no credible data that shows a verified association between consuming acetaminophen and autism."

Groups speaking for physicians and health professionals agree.

ACOG has declared acetaminophen - the key substance in acetaminophen - is among limited choices for pregnant women to treat discomfort and fever, which can pose major wellness concerns if not addressed.

"In over twenty years of investigation on the consumption of paracetamol in pregnancy, not a single reputable study has definitively established that the consumption of acetaminophen in any period of pregnancy causes neurodevelopmental disorders in children," the association said.

The lawsuit cites current declarations from the previous government in asserting the drug is potentially dangerous.

Last month, the former president raised alarms from public health officials when he instructed expectant mothers to "resist strongly" not to consume Tylenol when ill.

The US Food and Drug Administration then released a statement that medical professionals should think about restricting the usage of acetaminophen, while also stating that "a causal relationship" between the medication and autism in children has remains unverified.

The Health Department head RFK Jr, who oversees the FDA, had vowed in April to undertake "a massive testing and research effort" that would establish the origin of autism in a limited time.

But authorities warned that finding a single cause of autism spectrum disorder - thought by researchers to be the consequence of a intricate combination of genetic and environmental factors - would not be simple.

Autism spectrum disorder is a type of enduring cognitive variation and impairment that affects how persons perceive and interact with the world, and is identified using doctors' observations.

In his court filing, the attorney general - a Trump ally who is seeking the Senate - claims Kenvue and Johnson & Johnson "willfully ignored and attempted to silence the research" around paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder.

This legal action attempts to require the corporations "remove any marketing or advertising" that claims acetaminophen is safe 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 producers of acetaminophen in 2022.

The court threw out the lawsuit, declaring investigations from the family's specialists was not conclusive.