The State of Texas Top Legal Officer Sues Acetaminophen Producers Over Autism Claims
The top legal official in Texas Ken Paxton is filing a lawsuit against the makers of acetaminophen, asserting the companies hid potential risks that the medication created to pediatric brain development.
This legal action arrives thirty days after Former President Trump promoted an unverified association between taking acetaminophen - alternatively called paracetamol - during pregnancy and autism in children.
Paxton is taking legal action against the pharmaceutical giant, which once produced the medication, the exclusive pain medication recommended for expectant mothers, and Kenvue, which now manufacturers it.
In a declaration, he stated they "deceived the public by gaining financially from discomfort and marketing drugs regardless of the risks."
The company states there is no credible evidence connecting Tylenol to autism.
"These corporations misled for generations, intentionally threatening countless individuals to line their pockets," the attorney general, a Republican, said.
The company commented that it was "seriously troubled by the perpetuation of misinformation on the security of acetaminophen 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 "regularly reviewed the applicable studies and there is lacking reliable evidence that demonstrates a established connection between using acetaminophen and autism."
Organizations acting on behalf of doctors and healthcare providers concur.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has stated acetaminophen - the main ingredient in acetaminophen - is a restricted selection for pregnant women to treat pain and fever, which can create major wellness concerns if not addressed.
"In more than two decades of research on the use of paracetamol in pregnancy, not a single reputable study has successfully concluded that the consumption of paracetamol in any stage of pregnancy causes brain development issues in young ones," the group commented.
This legal action references latest statements from the previous government in arguing the medication is potentially dangerous.
In recent weeks, Trump generated worry from health experts when he advised pregnant women to "resist strongly" not to use Tylenol when ill.
Federal regulators then issued a notice that doctors should contemplate reducing the use of Tylenol, while also mentioning that "a proven link" between the drug and autism spectrum disorder in young ones has not been proven.
Health Secretary Kennedy, who oversees the FDA, had vowed in April to undertake "comprehensive study program" that would identify the origin of autism in a limited time.
But experts warned that identifying a unique factor of autism - considered by experts to be the consequence of a complex mix of genetic and external influences - would be difficult.
Autism spectrum disorder is a category of lifelong neurodivergence and condition that influences how persons encounter and relate to the surroundings, and is diagnosed using medical professional evaluations.
In his legal document, the attorney general - a Trump ally who is running for US Senate - claims Kenvue and J&J "willfully ignored and attempted to silence the evidence" around paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder.
The lawsuit seeks to make the firms "destroy any marketing or advertising" that asserts Tylenol is reliable for expectant mothers.
The court case parallels the concerns of a collection of guardians of children with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD who sued the producers of Tylenol in 2022.
The court rejected the legal action, declaring research from the parents' expert witnesses was inconclusive.