Texas Attorney General Sues Acetaminophen Makers Regarding Autism Spectrum Allegations

Courtroom Case
Ken Paxton, a Trump ally campaigning for US Senate, alleged the drug companies of concealing the risks of Tylenol

The top legal official in Texas Ken Paxton is suing the manufacturers of acetaminophen, asserting the companies concealed alleged dangers that the medication created to pediatric cognitive development.

The lawsuit comes four weeks after President Donald Trump promoted an unproven link between using Tylenol - alternatively called acetaminophen - while pregnant and autism spectrum disorder in young ones.

Paxton is filing suit against Johnson & Johnson, which previously sold the drug, the sole analgesic suggested for expectant mothers, and Kenvue, which now manufacturers it.

In a official comment, he said they "betrayed America by gaining financially from suffering and marketing drugs regardless of the potential hazards."

The company states there is lacking scientific proof connecting acetaminophen to autism.

"These corporations lied for decades, knowingly endangering numerous people to increase profits," the attorney general, a Republican, stated.

The manufacturer stated officially that it was "very worried by the perpetuation of misinformation on the safety of acetaminophen and the potential impact that could have on the welfare of American women and children."

On its online platform, Kenvue also said it had "continuously evaluated the applicable studies and there is no credible data that shows a proven link between using acetaminophen and autism."

Groups representing physicians and health professionals concur.

The leading OB-GYN organization has said paracetamol - the main ingredient in acetaminophen - is one of the few options for pregnant women to treat discomfort and fever, which can pose major wellness concerns if not addressed.

"In more than two decades of studies on the use of paracetamol in gestation, no reliable research has definitively established that the use of acetaminophen in any stage of gestation causes neurological conditions in offspring," the organization commented.

The court filing cites current declarations from the previous government in arguing the drug is reportedly hazardous.

In recent weeks, the former president caused concern from medical authorities when he advised pregnant women to "struggle intensely" not to take acetaminophen when unwell.

The FDA then issued a notice that doctors should consider limiting the consumption of Tylenol, while also stating that "a causal relationship" between the medication and autism spectrum disorder in children has remains unverified.

The Health Department head Robert F Kennedy Jr, who manages the Food and Drug Administration, had promised in April to undertake "extensive scientific investigation" that would determine the source of autism spectrum disorder in a short period.

But authorities advised that identifying a unique factor of autism - considered by experts to be the result of a intricate combination of genetic and environmental factors - would prove challenging.

Autism spectrum disorder is a category of lifelong neurodivergence and impairment that impacts how people perceive and relate to the surroundings, and is recognized using medical professional evaluations.

In his lawsuit, the attorney general - aligned with the former president who is campaigning for federal office - alleges Kenvue and Johnson & Johnson "willfully ignored and tried to quiet the evidence" around paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder.

This legal action aims to force the corporations "destroy any marketing or advertising" that asserts acetaminophen is safe for pregnant women.

The Texas lawsuit mirrors the grievances of a group of guardians of children with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD who sued the manufacturers of Tylenol in 2022.

Judicial authorities dismissed the legal action, stating investigations from the parents' expert witnesses was not conclusive.

Mark Williams
Mark Williams

Elara is a passionate hiker and writer who documents her wilderness expeditions and shares insights on sustainable travel.