The State of Texas Top Legal Officer Sues Tylenol Manufacturers Concerning Autism Allegations
Texas Attorney General Paxton is suing the producers of acetaminophen, claiming the firms hid safety concerns that the drug posed to pediatric cognitive development.
The lawsuit follows a month after President Donald Trump advocated an unverified association between taking Tylenol - referred to as paracetamol - while pregnant and autism spectrum disorder in children.
The attorney general is taking legal action against Johnson & Johnson, which once produced the medication, the exclusive pain medication approved for expectant mothers, and the current manufacturer, which now manufacturers it.
In a statement, he said they "betrayed America by making money from suffering and pushing pills ignoring the risks."
Kenvue says there is no credible evidence linking Tylenol to autism.
"These corporations lied for decades, deliberately risking countless individuals to boost earnings," Paxton, a Republican, stated.
The company commented that it was "seriously troubled by the perpetuation of misinformation on the safety of paracetamol and the possible consequences that could have on the well-being of women and children in America."
On its online platform, the company also mentioned it had "regularly reviewed the pertinent research and there is lacking reliable evidence that demonstrates a verified association between using acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder."
Organizations speaking for physicians and medical practitioners concur.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has said paracetamol - the primary component in Tylenol - is a restricted selection for women during pregnancy to treat discomfort and fever, which can present major wellness concerns if ignored.
"In over twenty years of studies on the use of paracetamol in gestation, no reliable research has definitively established that the use of paracetamol in any period of pregnancy results in neurodevelopmental disorders in children," the group stated.
The lawsuit references recent announcements from the Trump administration in arguing the medication is reportedly hazardous.
In recent weeks, the former president caused concern from health experts when he instructed women during pregnancy to "struggle intensely" not to consume Tylenol when sick.
Federal regulators then published an announcement that medical professionals should contemplate reducing the usage of Tylenol, while also mentioning that "a direct connection" between the drug and autism in minors has not been established.
Health Secretary RFK Jr, who manages the Food and Drug Administration, had vowed in spring to initiate "comprehensive study program" that would establish the cause of autism spectrum disorder in a limited time.
But specialists warned that identifying a sole reason of autism spectrum disorder - believed by scientists to be the consequence of a complicated interplay of inherited and surrounding conditions - would be difficult.
Autism spectrum disorder is a category of permanent neurological difference and condition that affects how individuals perceive and interact with the surroundings, and is recognized using doctors' observations.
In his lawsuit, the attorney general - who supports Trump who is running for US Senate - alleges the manufacturer and J&J "willfully ignored and tried to quiet the research" around paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder.
This legal action attempts to require the corporations "destroy any promotional materials" that asserts Tylenol is reliable for expectant mothers.
The Texas lawsuit mirrors the complaints of a assembly of guardians of young ones with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who filed suit against the producers of Tylenol in two years ago.
A federal judge threw out the legal action, saying research from the parents' expert witnesses was not conclusive.