The State of Texas Attorney General Takes Legal Action Against Tylenol Makers Regarding Autism Claims
Texas Attorney General Paxton is taking legal action against the producers of acetaminophen, asserting the companies withheld alleged dangers that the medication created to pediatric cognitive development.
The lawsuit arrives a month after Donald Trump promoted an unverified association between taking Tylenol - alternatively called acetaminophen - throughout gestation and autism in offspring.
The attorney general is filing suit against J&J, which previously sold the drug, the only pain reliever recommended for women during pregnancy, and the current manufacturer, which presently makes it.
In a official comment, he stated they "misled consumers by gaining financially from suffering and pushing pills without regard for the risks."
Kenvue states there is no credible evidence connecting acetaminophen to autism.
"These manufacturers deceived for years, knowingly endangering millions to boost earnings," the attorney general, from the Republican party, said.
The company said in a statement that it was "very worried by the spread of false claims on the security of acetaminophen and the likely effects that could have on the well-being of women and children in America."
On its official site, the company also mentioned it had "regularly reviewed the relevant science and there is lacking reliable evidence that shows a proven link between taking paracetamol and autism."
Organizations acting on behalf of physicians and health professionals agree.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has declared paracetamol - the primary component in acetaminophen - is one of the few options for expectant mothers to manage discomfort and elevated temperature, which can pose serious health risks if not addressed.
"In more than two decades of studies on the use of acetaminophen in gestation, not a single reputable study has successfully concluded that the consumption of acetaminophen in any trimester of gestation causes brain development issues in young ones," the association commented.
The court filing mentions current declarations from the Trump administration in arguing the drug is reportedly hazardous.
In recent weeks, Trump raised alarms from medical authorities when he instructed expectant mothers to "resist strongly" not to use acetaminophen when ill.
The US Food and Drug Administration then published an announcement that doctors should consider limiting the use of acetaminophen, while also stating that "a proven link" between the drug and autism in young ones has not been proven.
The Health Department head RFK Jr, who supervises the Food and Drug Administration, had vowed in spring to initiate "a massive testing and research effort" that would determine the cause of autism in a short period.
But authorities warned that discovering a single cause of autism - considered by experts to be the consequence of a complex mix of genetic and surrounding conditions - would not be simple.
Autism spectrum disorder is a category of permanent neurological difference and impairment that impacts how people experience and interact with the world, and is diagnosed using physician assessments.
In his lawsuit, the attorney general - who supports Trump who is seeking the Senate - asserts the manufacturer and J&J "willfully ignored and sought to suppress the science" around acetaminophen and autism.
This legal action seeks to make the firms "destroy any promotional materials" that claims Tylenol is secure for expectant mothers.
This legal action parallels the complaints of a group of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who filed suit against the producers of acetaminophen in recently.
The court rejected the legal action, saying studies from the plaintiffs' authorities was not conclusive.