Texas Attorney General Sues Acetaminophen Makers Over Autism Allegations
The top legal official in Texas Paxton is taking legal action against the producers of Tylenol, claiming the firms hid alleged dangers that the drug posed to pediatric cognitive development.
The lawsuit comes thirty days after Former President Trump promoted an unsubstantiated connection between using Tylenol - referred to as paracetamol - during pregnancy and autism in young ones.
Paxton is filing suit against the pharmaceutical giant, which once produced the drug, the sole analgesic suggested for pregnant women, and Kenvue, which currently produces it.
In a declaration, he said they "misled consumers by gaining financially from suffering and pushing pills regardless of the risks."
Kenvue asserts there is insufficient reliable data tying Tylenol to autism.
"These corporations deceived for years, deliberately risking numerous people to boost earnings," the attorney general, a Republican, stated.
The manufacturer stated officially that it was "very worried by the dissemination of inaccurate information on the reliability of acetaminophen and the potential impact that could have on the health of US mothers and children."
On its website, the company also said it had "regularly reviewed the applicable studies and there is lacking reliable evidence that indicates a verified association between taking acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder."
Groups representing doctors and healthcare providers agree.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has stated paracetamol - the primary component in Tylenol - is among limited choices for women during pregnancy to treat discomfort and elevated temperature, which can present major wellness concerns if left untreated.
"In multiple decades of research on the use of acetaminophen in gestation, zero credible investigations has conclusively proven that the consumption of acetaminophen in any stage of pregnancy leads to neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring," the group said.
The court filing references current declarations from the previous government in asserting the medication is allegedly unsafe.
Last month, the former president raised alarms from health experts when he advised pregnant women to "resist strongly" not to consume Tylenol when unwell.
Federal regulators then issued a notice that medical professionals should consider limiting the consumption of Tylenol, while also declaring that "a direct connection" between the drug and autism spectrum disorder in children has not been proven.
Health Secretary Kennedy, who supervises the FDA, had promised in spring to undertake "extensive scientific investigation" that would identify the cause of autism spectrum disorder in a matter of months.
But specialists cautioned that identifying a sole reason of autism spectrum disorder - thought by researchers to be the outcome of a intricate combination of genetic and external influences - would not be simple.
Autism is a form of lifelong neurodivergence and impairment that affects how people experience and interact with the world, and is identified using physician assessments.
In his court filing, the attorney general - a Trump ally who is running for federal office - claims the manufacturer and J&J "deliberately disregarded and tried to quiet the research" around paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder.
The case attempts to require the firms "remove any promotional materials" that asserts acetaminophen is secure for women during pregnancy.
The court case parallels the grievances of a group of parents of minors with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who filed suit against the makers of acetaminophen in recently.
Judicial authorities dismissed the lawsuit, saying investigations from the plaintiffs' authorities was inconclusive.