Texas Top Legal Officer Takes Legal Action Against Tylenol Producers Over Autism Assertions

Texas Attorney General Paxton is suing the makers of acetaminophen, alleging the companies concealed alleged dangers that the pain reliever presented to pediatric cognitive development.

This legal action follows a month after Former President Trump publicized an unproven link between taking Tylenol - alternatively called acetaminophen - while pregnant and autism in young ones.

The attorney general is suing Johnson & Johnson, which formerly manufactured the drug, the exclusive pain medication approved for pregnant women, and Kenvue, which presently makes it.

In a statement, he claimed they "betrayed America by gaining financially from suffering and pushing pills regardless of the risks."

The company says there is insufficient reliable data tying Tylenol to autism spectrum disorder.

"These corporations lied for decades, intentionally threatening countless individuals to boost earnings," Paxton, from the Republican party, said.

The manufacturer said in a statement that it was "seriously troubled by the perpetuation of misinformation on the safety of acetaminophen and the potential impact that could have on the well-being of US mothers and children."

On its website, the company also stated it had "continuously evaluated the pertinent research and there is lacking reliable evidence that demonstrates a proven link between using paracetamol and autism."

Groups speaking for doctors and medical practitioners agree.

ACOG has stated paracetamol - the main ingredient in acetaminophen - is one of the few options for pregnant women to address discomfort and elevated temperature, which can present serious health risks if not addressed.

"In more than two decades of research on the utilization of acetaminophen in pregnancy, zero credible investigations has conclusively proven that the use of paracetamol in any stage of gestation causes neurodevelopmental disorders in children," the group stated.

The lawsuit mentions latest statements from the former administration in arguing the drug is potentially dangerous.

In recent weeks, the former president caused concern from public health officials when he advised expectant mothers to "struggle intensely" not to consume acetaminophen when unwell.

The US Food and Drug Administration then released a statement that doctors should think about restricting the usage of Tylenol, while also mentioning that "a proven link" between the medication and autism in minors has remains unverified.

Health Secretary RFK Jr, who oversees the FDA, had vowed in spring to conduct "extensive scientific investigation" that would identify the origin of autism in a limited time.

But experts cautioned that discovering a sole reason of autism - believed by scientists to be the outcome of a complicated interplay of inherited and environmental factors - would prove challenging.

Autism spectrum disorder is a category of lifelong neurodivergence and disability that affects how people perceive and relate to the environment, and is identified using medical professional evaluations.

In his court filing, the attorney general - aligned with the former president who is running for federal office - asserts the manufacturer and J&J "intentionally overlooked and tried to quiet the research" around paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder.

The lawsuit attempts to require the firms "destroy any commercial messaging" that claims acetaminophen is reliable for pregnant women.

This legal action echoes the concerns of a group of parents of children with autism and ADHD who filed suit against the manufacturers of Tylenol in recently.

A federal judge threw out the case, declaring research from the plaintiffs' authorities was lacking definitive proof.