The State of Texas Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against Acetaminophen Manufacturers Regarding Autism Assertions
Texas Attorney General Paxton is taking legal action against the producers of acetaminophen, alleging the firms withheld safety concerns that the medication posed to pediatric cognitive development.
The lawsuit arrives a month after Donald Trump advocated an unproven link between consuming acetaminophen - referred to as acetaminophen - while pregnant and autism in offspring.
The attorney general is taking legal action against J&J, which once produced the medication, the exclusive pain medication recommended for women during pregnancy, and Kenvue, which presently makes it.
In a statement, he said they "betrayed America by profiting off of discomfort and pushing pills ignoring the risks."
Kenvue asserts there is no credible evidence linking Tylenol to autism spectrum disorder.
"These manufacturers lied for decades, deliberately risking countless individuals to line their pockets," Paxton, a Republican, stated.
Kenvue commented that it was "deeply concerned by the perpetuation of misinformation 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 pertinent research and there is insufficient valid information that demonstrates a proven link between consuming acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder."
Organizations representing physicians and medical practitioners concur.
ACOG has said paracetamol - the main ingredient in Tylenol - is one of the few options for expectant mothers to address pain and fever, which can create serious health risks if ignored.
"In over twenty years of studies on the use of paracetamol in pregnancy, no reliable research has conclusively proven that the consumption of paracetamol in any period of pregnancy causes neurological conditions in children," the association stated.
This legal action references latest statements from the former administration in claiming the medication is potentially dangerous.
Last month, Trump generated worry from health experts when he advised pregnant women to "resist strongly" not to use Tylenol when sick.
The US Food and Drug Administration then issued a notice that doctors should think about restricting the use of acetaminophen, while also declaring that "a proven link" between the medication and autism in young ones has not been established.
Health Secretary RFK Jr, who manages the FDA, had promised in spring to conduct "extensive scientific investigation" that would identify the origin of autism spectrum disorder in a limited time.
But experts warned that discovering a single cause of autism - thought by researchers to be the outcome of a complex mix of genetic and surrounding conditions - would not be simple.
Autism spectrum disorder is a form of enduring cognitive variation and disability that affects how people experience and engage with the environment, and is identified using doctors' observations.
In his lawsuit, the attorney general - a Trump ally who is running for federal office - asserts Kenvue and J&J "intentionally overlooked and attempted to silence the evidence" around paracetamol and autism.
The lawsuit seeks to make the firms "destroy any commercial messaging" that states Tylenol is secure for pregnant women.
The court case parallels the concerns of a assembly of mothers and fathers of minors with autism and ADHD who took legal action against the makers of acetaminophen in recently.
The court threw out the case, saying studies from the plaintiffs' authorities was inconclusive.