The State of Texas Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against Tylenol Producers Regarding Autism Allegations
Texas Attorney General Paxton is suing the makers of Tylenol, alleging the firms hid safety concerns that the medication presented to pediatric neurological development.
The lawsuit follows four weeks after Former President Trump publicized an unsubstantiated connection between consuming Tylenol - referred to as paracetamol - while pregnant and autism in offspring.
Paxton is filing suit against Johnson & Johnson, which formerly manufactured the drug, the exclusive pain medication recommended for expectant mothers, and the current manufacturer, which presently makes it.
In a declaration, he claimed they "deceived the public by gaining financially from suffering and pushing pills regardless of the dangers."
The company says there is lacking scientific proof tying Tylenol to autism.
"These corporations lied for decades, knowingly endangering countless individuals to line their pockets," the attorney general, from the Republican party, said.
Kenvue commented that it was "seriously troubled by the perpetuation of misinformation on the safety of acetaminophen and the potential impact that could have on the health of US mothers and children."
On its official site, the company also mentioned it had "regularly reviewed the pertinent research and there is insufficient valid information that demonstrates a verified association between using acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder."
Groups representing medical professionals and medical practitioners concur.
ACOG has stated paracetamol - the key substance in Tylenol - is a restricted selection for women during pregnancy to manage pain and elevated temperature, which can present major wellness concerns if left untreated.
"In more than two decades of studies on the consumption of paracetamol in pregnancy, no reliable research has successfully concluded that the consumption of acetaminophen in any trimester of gestation results in neurodevelopmental disorders in young ones," the group stated.
The lawsuit mentions latest statements from the Trump administration in claiming the medication is potentially dangerous.
Last month, the former president caused concern from health experts when he instructed expectant mothers to "fight like hell" not to use acetaminophen when unwell.
The FDA then released a statement that physicians should consider limiting the consumption of acetaminophen, while also declaring that "a direct connection" between the medication and autism in children has not been proven.
Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who oversees the FDA, had vowed in spring to conduct "a massive testing and research effort" that would determine the origin of autism in a short period.
But experts warned that finding a unique factor of autism spectrum disorder - believed by scientists to be the consequence of a complicated interplay of inherited and external influences - would not be simple.
Autism is a type of permanent neurological difference and impairment that impacts how persons encounter and interact with the environment, and is diagnosed using medical professional evaluations.
In his court filing, the attorney general - aligned with the former president who is seeking federal office - asserts the manufacturer and J&J "willfully ignored and tried to quiet the evidence" around acetaminophen and autism.
This legal action attempts to require the corporations "eliminate any promotional materials" that claims Tylenol is secure for women during pregnancy.
The court case parallels the concerns of a assembly of mothers and fathers of minors with autism and ADHD who sued the makers of acetaminophen in two years ago.
Judicial authorities dismissed the case, stating investigations from the parents' expert witnesses was not conclusive.