🔗 Share this article

Texas Attorney General Paxton is taking legal action against the manufacturers of Tylenol, claiming the corporations hid potential risks that the pain reliever presented to children's neurological development.

The court filing comes a month after Former President Trump publicized an unverified association between using Tylenol - alternatively called acetaminophen - during pregnancy and autism in young ones.

Paxton is taking legal action against the pharmaceutical giant, which formerly manufactured the medication, the sole analgesic recommended for pregnant women, and Kenvue, which currently produces it.

In a declaration, he said they "deceived the public by gaining financially from discomfort and marketing drugs without regard for the potential hazards."

Kenvue states there is insufficient reliable data connecting acetaminophen to autism spectrum disorder.

"These companies lied for decades, intentionally threatening numerous people to increase profits," the attorney general, a Republican, stated.

Kenvue said in a statement that it was "deeply concerned by the dissemination of inaccurate information on the security of paracetamol and the possible consequences that could have on the welfare of American women and children."

On its website, the company also mentioned it had "continuously evaluated the relevant science and there is insufficient valid information that indicates a established connection between consuming acetaminophen and autism."

Associations representing physicians and health professionals agree.

The leading OB-GYN organization has said acetaminophen - the main ingredient in Tylenol - is a restricted selection for pregnant women to manage discomfort and fever, which can pose major wellness concerns if not addressed.

"In over twenty years of research on the utilization of paracetamol in pregnancy, not a single reputable study has successfully concluded that the consumption of acetaminophen in any stage of gestation leads to neurodevelopmental disorders in children," the group said.

This legal action references current declarations from the previous government in asserting the drug is allegedly unsafe.

Last month, Trump caused concern from health experts when he told expectant mothers to "resist strongly" not to consume Tylenol when sick.

The FDA then issued a notice that medical professionals should consider limiting the consumption of acetaminophen, while also declaring that "a proven link" between the medication and autism in children has remains unverified.

Health Secretary Kennedy, who supervises the FDA, had promised in April to undertake "comprehensive study program" that would identify the source of autism spectrum disorder in a limited time.

But authorities advised that identifying a unique factor of autism spectrum disorder - considered by experts to be the result of a intricate combination of inherited and external influences - would not be simple.

Autism is a category of enduring cognitive variation and impairment that affects how individuals encounter and relate to the environment, and is identified using doctors' observations.

In his lawsuit, Paxton - a Trump ally who is seeking federal office - alleges the manufacturer and Johnson & Johnson "deliberately disregarded and sought to suppress the science" around paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder.

This legal action attempts to require the firms "remove any commercial messaging" that asserts Tylenol is secure for expectant mothers.

The Texas lawsuit echoes the grievances of a group of parents of children with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who filed suit against the producers of acetaminophen in 2022.

The court dismissed the case, stating investigations from the family's specialists was lacking definitive proof.