🔗 Share this article

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing the manufacturers of Tylenol, asserting the corporations withheld potential risks that the pain reliever created to children's cognitive development.

The lawsuit comes four weeks after President Donald Trump promoted an unsubstantiated connection between taking Tylenol - referred to as paracetamol - throughout gestation and autism spectrum disorder in children.

Paxton is filing suit against the pharmaceutical giant, which once produced the drug, the sole analgesic approved for expectant mothers, and the current manufacturer, which currently produces it.

In a declaration, he said they "misled consumers by profiting off of suffering and marketing drugs regardless of the potential hazards."

Kenvue asserts there is lacking scientific proof linking Tylenol to autism spectrum disorder.

"These manufacturers misled for generations, deliberately risking countless individuals to increase profits," Paxton, from the Republican party, said.

Kenvue stated officially that it was "very worried by the dissemination of inaccurate information on the safety of paracetamol and the possible consequences that could have on the welfare of American women and children."

On its official site, Kenvue also said it had "continuously evaluated the relevant science and there is insufficient valid information that shows a verified association between taking acetaminophen and autism."

Groups acting on behalf of physicians and medical practitioners concur.

ACOG has stated paracetamol - the primary component in Tylenol - is among limited choices for women during pregnancy to address discomfort and fever, which can present major wellness concerns if not addressed.

"In over twenty years of investigation on the utilization of acetaminophen in gestation, zero credible investigations has conclusively proven that the use of acetaminophen in any stage of pregnancy leads to neurodevelopmental disorders in children," the organization stated.

This legal action cites latest statements from the former administration in asserting the drug is potentially dangerous.

In recent weeks, the former president caused concern from health experts when he instructed expectant mothers to "struggle intensely" not to consume Tylenol when unwell.

The US Food and Drug Administration then issued a notice that medical professionals should think about restricting the usage of acetaminophen, while also mentioning that "a proven link" between the drug and autism in minors has not been established.

The Health Department head RFK Jr, who manages the FDA, had vowed in April to conduct "comprehensive study program" that would establish the origin of autism spectrum disorder in a short period.

But specialists warned that discovering a sole reason of autism - thought by researchers to be the consequence of a intricate combination of genetic and surrounding conditions - would be difficult.

Autism spectrum disorder is a category of lifelong neurodivergence and impairment that impacts how persons encounter and engage with the environment, and is recognized using doctors' observations.

In his lawsuit, the attorney general - a Trump ally who is campaigning for the Senate - alleges the manufacturer and Johnson & Johnson "intentionally overlooked and tried to quiet the research" around paracetamol and autism.

The lawsuit aims to force the companies "remove any commercial messaging" that asserts acetaminophen is secure for expectant mothers.

The court case parallels the grievances of a assembly of mothers and fathers of children with autism and ADHD who filed suit against the makers of Tylenol in recently.

A federal judge threw out the legal action, stating research from the family's specialists was lacking definitive proof.