Texas Attorney General Sues Acetaminophen Producers Concerning Autism Spectrum Claims
The top legal official in Texas Paxton is filing a lawsuit against the manufacturers of Tylenol, alleging the firms withheld safety concerns that the drug posed to pediatric cognitive development.
This legal action arrives four weeks after Donald Trump advocated an unsubstantiated connection between taking acetaminophen - alternatively called paracetamol - during pregnancy and autism spectrum disorder in offspring.
The attorney general is filing suit against Johnson & Johnson, which previously sold the drug, the sole analgesic suggested for women during pregnancy, and Kenvue, which now manufacturers it.
In a official comment, he claimed they "misled consumers by profiting off of suffering and promoting medication without regard for the dangers."
Kenvue says there is no credible evidence tying Tylenol to autism spectrum disorder.
"These corporations deceived for years, deliberately risking millions to boost earnings," Paxton, from the Republican party, declared.
Kenvue commented that it was "very worried by the spread of false claims on the safety of paracetamol and the likely effects that could have on the well-being of women and children in America."
On its official site, Kenvue also stated it had "continuously evaluated the applicable studies and there is insufficient valid information that demonstrates a proven link between taking paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder."
Groups acting on behalf of medical professionals and medical practitioners agree.
The leading OB-GYN organization has declared paracetamol - the main ingredient in acetaminophen - is among limited choices for women during pregnancy to address discomfort and elevated temperature, which can present significant medical dangers if left untreated.
"In more than two decades of studies on the use of paracetamol in pregnancy, zero credible investigations has conclusively proven that the usage of paracetamol in any stage of pregnancy causes neurological conditions in offspring," the association stated.
The lawsuit cites recent announcements from the Trump administration in arguing the drug is reportedly hazardous.
In recent weeks, the former president generated worry from medical authorities when he advised pregnant women to "fight like hell" not to take acetaminophen when unwell.
The FDA then issued a notice that medical professionals should consider limiting the consumption of acetaminophen, while also stating that "a direct connection" between the drug and autism spectrum disorder in minors has not been proven.
The Health Department head RFK Jr, who oversees the FDA, had promised in April to undertake "extensive scientific investigation" that would establish the source of autism spectrum disorder in a matter of months.
But specialists advised that identifying a single cause of autism spectrum disorder - thought by researchers to be the consequence of a intricate combination of genetic and surrounding conditions - would be difficult.
Autism is a category of lifelong neurodivergence and disability that influences how individuals experience and interact with the world, and is identified using medical professional evaluations.
In his court filing, Paxton - who supports Trump who is campaigning for the Senate - claims Kenvue and J&J "intentionally overlooked and sought to suppress the evidence" around acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder.
This legal action aims to force the companies "eliminate any marketing or advertising" that states Tylenol is reliable for expectant mothers.
The court case echoes the complaints of a group of parents of minors with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who took legal action against the producers of acetaminophen in two years ago.
A federal judge rejected the lawsuit, declaring studies from the plaintiffs' authorities was not conclusive.