Texas Top Legal Officer Files Lawsuit Against Acetaminophen Manufacturers Regarding Autism Spectrum Allegations
Texas Attorney General Paxton is suing the producers of Tylenol, alleging the firms withheld safety concerns that the pain reliever presented to pediatric neurological development.
This legal action comes four weeks after Former President Trump publicized an unsubstantiated connection between taking acetaminophen - alternatively called acetaminophen - while pregnant and autism in young ones.
Paxton is filing suit against J&J, which formerly manufactured the drug, the sole analgesic approved for women during pregnancy, and Kenvue, which currently produces it.
In a statement, he said they "deceived the public by gaining financially from pain and pushing pills ignoring the potential hazards."
Kenvue states there is insufficient reliable data connecting Tylenol to autism.
"These manufacturers lied for decades, intentionally threatening millions to boost earnings," Paxton, a Republican, declared.
The manufacturer said in a statement that it was "seriously troubled by the spread of false claims on the reliability of acetaminophen and the likely effects that could have on the well-being of women and children in America."
On its website, Kenvue also stated it had "continuously evaluated the pertinent research and there is no credible data that shows a established connection between consuming paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder."
Associations acting on behalf of physicians and medical practitioners agree.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has stated acetaminophen - the main ingredient in acetaminophen - is among limited choices for expectant mothers to treat pain and fever, which can create serious health risks if not addressed.
"In multiple decades of research on the consumption of paracetamol in gestation, no reliable research has successfully concluded that the usage of paracetamol in any stage of gestation leads to neurodevelopmental disorders in children," the group said.
The lawsuit references latest statements from the previous government in asserting the medication is allegedly unsafe.
In recent weeks, Trump generated worry from public health officials when he instructed pregnant women to "resist strongly" not to use acetaminophen when ill.
Federal regulators then released a statement that physicians should think about restricting the usage of acetaminophen, while also stating that "a causal relationship" between the medication and autism spectrum disorder in young ones has not been proven.
Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who manages the FDA, had pledged in April to undertake "a massive testing and research effort" that would identify the origin of autism spectrum disorder in a limited time.
But authorities advised that finding a unique factor of autism spectrum disorder - thought by researchers to be the result of a intricate combination of inherited and surrounding conditions - would prove challenging.
Autism is a type of enduring cognitive variation and impairment that affects how persons encounter and engage with the surroundings, and is identified using doctors' observations.
In his court filing, Paxton - aligned with the former president who is running for federal office - claims Kenvue and Johnson & Johnson "deliberately disregarded and tried to quiet the science" around paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder.
This legal action aims to force the companies "remove any marketing or advertising" that states acetaminophen is safe for women during pregnancy.
This legal action echoes the concerns of a collection of mothers and fathers of minors with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who filed suit against the producers of acetaminophen in 2022.
Judicial authorities dismissed the lawsuit, declaring investigations from the parents' expert witnesses was lacking definitive proof.