The State of Texas Attorney General Sues Tylenol Makers Over Autism Spectrum Allegations
The top legal official in Texas Paxton is taking legal action against the makers of acetaminophen, asserting the companies concealed potential risks that the pain reliever posed to children's neurological development.
The court filing arrives a month after Donald Trump promoted an unverified association between consuming Tylenol - alternatively called paracetamol - throughout gestation and autism spectrum disorder in children.
The attorney general is filing suit against Johnson & Johnson, which previously sold the drug, the only pain reliever suggested for pregnant women, and Kenvue, which now manufacturers it.
In a statement, he stated they "deceived the public by making money from pain and marketing drugs ignoring the risks."
The company says there is lacking scientific proof linking acetaminophen to autism.
"These companies deceived for years, deliberately risking countless individuals to line their pockets," Paxton, a Republican, declared.
The manufacturer commented that it was "very worried by the spread of false claims on the security of acetaminophen and the potential impact that could have on the well-being of US mothers and children."
On its online platform, the company also said it had "consistently assessed the pertinent research and there is no credible data that demonstrates a verified association between using acetaminophen and autism."
Organizations acting on behalf of physicians and health professionals concur.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has said acetaminophen - the primary component in Tylenol - is a restricted selection for pregnant women to manage discomfort and elevated temperature, which can create significant medical dangers if not addressed.
"In multiple decades of investigation on the consumption of acetaminophen in pregnancy, zero credible investigations has successfully concluded that the use of acetaminophen in any period of gestation leads to brain development issues in young ones," the organization said.
This legal action mentions recent announcements from the previous government in asserting the medication is potentially dangerous.
Recently, Trump caused concern from medical authorities when he instructed women during pregnancy to "fight like hell" not to take acetaminophen when unwell.
Federal regulators then published an announcement that physicians should contemplate reducing the usage of Tylenol, while also declaring that "a direct connection" between the medication and autism in young ones has not been proven.
Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who oversees the FDA, had vowed in April to initiate "extensive scientific investigation" that would determine the source of autism spectrum disorder in a matter of months.
But specialists advised that identifying a unique factor of autism - thought by researchers to be the outcome of a complex mix of inherited and environmental factors - would prove challenging.
Autism is a type of permanent neurological difference and disability that impacts how people experience and engage with the world, and is diagnosed using medical professional evaluations.
In his court filing, Paxton - aligned with the former president who is seeking federal office - alleges Kenvue and J&J "intentionally overlooked and attempted to silence the science" around paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder.
This legal action attempts to require the companies "remove any promotional materials" that states acetaminophen is reliable for expectant mothers.
The court case parallels the complaints of a group of guardians of children with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who sued the manufacturers of Tylenol in two years ago.
A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit, saying research from the parents' expert witnesses was inconclusive.