The State of Texas Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against Acetaminophen Producers Regarding Autism Allegations
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is filing a lawsuit against the manufacturers of Tylenol, claiming the corporations withheld potential risks that the medication created to children's neurological development.
This legal action comes a month after President Donald Trump publicized an unsubstantiated connection between consuming acetaminophen - referred to as acetaminophen - during pregnancy and autism in offspring.
The attorney general is taking legal action against the pharmaceutical giant, which formerly manufactured the medication, the exclusive pain medication suggested for women during pregnancy, and Kenvue, which now manufacturers it.
In a statement, he said they "betrayed America by making money from discomfort and marketing drugs without regard for the potential hazards."
Kenvue says there is insufficient reliable data linking acetaminophen to autism.
"These companies deceived for years, knowingly endangering countless individuals to line their pockets," Paxton, from the Republican party, said.
The manufacturer stated officially that it was "seriously troubled by the dissemination of inaccurate information on the reliability of paracetamol and the potential impact that could have on the welfare of US mothers and children."
On its online platform, the company also stated it had "continuously evaluated the applicable studies and there is no credible data that shows a proven link between taking paracetamol and autism."
Organizations acting on behalf of physicians and medical practitioners share this view.
ACOG has stated acetaminophen - the main ingredient in Tylenol - is a restricted selection for women during pregnancy to treat discomfort and elevated temperature, which can present serious health risks if not addressed.
"In over twenty years of studies on the utilization of acetaminophen in gestation, zero credible investigations has successfully concluded that the consumption of paracetamol in any stage of gestation causes neurological conditions in young ones," the group said.
This legal action references latest statements from the Trump administration in asserting the drug is allegedly unsafe.
In recent weeks, Trump raised alarms from health experts when he told expectant mothers to "resist strongly" not to consume Tylenol when unwell.
The FDA then released a statement that doctors should contemplate reducing the consumption of acetaminophen, while also mentioning that "a direct connection" between the medication and autism in minors has not been established.
The Health Department head Kennedy, who manages the FDA, had promised in April to initiate "a massive testing and research effort" that would establish the source of autism spectrum disorder in a matter of months.
But specialists cautioned that discovering a single cause of autism spectrum disorder - thought by researchers to be the consequence of a complex mix of inherited and surrounding conditions - would be difficult.
Autism spectrum disorder is a form of enduring cognitive variation and disability that impacts how persons encounter and engage with the environment, and is recognized using physician assessments.
In his court filing, the attorney general - aligned with the former president who is campaigning for US Senate - claims the manufacturer and J&J "willfully ignored and sought to suppress the science" around acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder.
The lawsuit seeks to make the companies "destroy any marketing or advertising" that claims Tylenol is secure for women during pregnancy.
The court case echoes the complaints of a assembly of guardians of children with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who filed suit against the manufacturers of Tylenol in recently.
The court dismissed the lawsuit, declaring investigations from the parents' expert witnesses was inconclusive.