The State of Texas Top Legal Officer Takes Legal Action Against Acetaminophen Makers Concerning Autism Assertions
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing the producers of acetaminophen, alleging the firms hid potential risks that the pain reliever posed to pediatric neurological development.
The court filing follows a month after Former President Trump publicized an unproven link between using Tylenol - also known as paracetamol - while pregnant and autism spectrum disorder in children.
The attorney general is suing Johnson & Johnson, which formerly manufactured the drug, the exclusive pain medication suggested for expectant mothers, and Kenvue, which now manufacturers it.
In a declaration, he claimed they "misled consumers by making money from discomfort and pushing pills ignoring the potential hazards."
The company states there is lacking scientific proof linking Tylenol to autism spectrum disorder.
"These manufacturers misled for generations, knowingly endangering numerous people to line their pockets," the attorney general, from the Republican party, stated.
Kenvue said in a statement that it was "very worried by the spread of false claims on the safety of acetaminophen and the likely effects that could have on the health of US mothers and children."
On its website, Kenvue also stated it had "regularly reviewed the applicable studies and there is no credible data that demonstrates a verified association between consuming paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder."
Associations representing physicians and health professionals agree.
The leading OB-GYN organization has said acetaminophen - the main ingredient in acetaminophen - is one of the few options for pregnant women to address pain and elevated temperature, which can present serious health risks if not addressed.
"In over twenty years of studies on the consumption of paracetamol in pregnancy, not a single reputable study has conclusively proven that the use of paracetamol in any period of pregnancy results in brain development issues in children," the group said.
This legal action references latest statements from the previous government in asserting the drug is potentially dangerous.
In recent weeks, Trump raised alarms from health experts when he advised expectant mothers to "fight like hell" not to consume acetaminophen when unwell.
The FDA then published an announcement that physicians should consider limiting the use of Tylenol, while also declaring that "a proven link" between the medication and autism in children has remains unverified.
Health Secretary Kennedy, who supervises the Food and Drug Administration, had promised in April to undertake "comprehensive study program" that would establish the source of autism in a matter of months.
But specialists advised that finding a unique factor of autism spectrum disorder - thought by researchers to be the outcome of a intricate combination of inherited and surrounding conditions - would not be simple.
Autism spectrum disorder is a form of enduring cognitive variation and disability that affects how people perceive and interact with the world, and is recognized using physician assessments.
In his court filing, Paxton - who supports Trump who is seeking US Senate - asserts the manufacturer and Johnson & Johnson "deliberately disregarded and tried to quiet the evidence" around paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder.
The case attempts to require the corporations "eliminate any promotional materials" that asserts Tylenol is safe for pregnant women.
This legal action echoes the concerns of a group of mothers and fathers of minors with autism and ADHD who filed suit against the makers of acetaminophen in recently.
The court rejected the lawsuit, declaring investigations from the parents' expert witnesses was lacking definitive proof.