The State of Texas Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against Tylenol Makers Over Autism Assertions
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is taking legal action against the producers of Tylenol, claiming the companies withheld alleged dangers that the pain reliever created to pediatric neurological development.
This legal action arrives thirty days after Former President Trump promoted an unverified association between consuming acetaminophen - also known as paracetamol - throughout gestation and autism spectrum disorder in young ones.
Paxton is filing suit against Johnson & Johnson, which formerly manufactured the drug, the exclusive pain medication suggested for women during pregnancy, and the current manufacturer, which presently makes it.
In a statement, he stated they "misled consumers by gaining financially from pain and pushing pills without regard for the risks."
The company says there is lacking scientific proof connecting Tylenol to autism spectrum disorder.
"These corporations lied for decades, knowingly endangering millions to increase profits," the attorney general, from the Republican party, declared.
The company said in a statement that it was "seriously troubled by the perpetuation of misinformation on the reliability of paracetamol and the likely effects that could have on the health of women and children in America."
On its online platform, Kenvue also stated it had "continuously evaluated the applicable studies and there is lacking reliable evidence that indicates a proven link between using acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder."
Associations speaking for medical professionals and healthcare providers concur.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has said paracetamol - the main ingredient in Tylenol - is a restricted selection for women during pregnancy to treat pain and elevated temperature, which can create significant medical dangers if ignored.
"In multiple decades of studies on the utilization of paracetamol in pregnancy, not a single reputable study has conclusively proven that the usage of paracetamol in any period of pregnancy results in neurological conditions in young ones," the group commented.
The court filing mentions current declarations from the previous government in asserting the drug is potentially dangerous.
Last month, Trump caused concern from public health officials when he advised pregnant women to "resist strongly" not to use Tylenol when sick.
Federal regulators then published an announcement that doctors should consider limiting the consumption of acetaminophen, while also mentioning that "a direct connection" between the drug and autism in children has remains unverified.
Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who manages the Food and Drug Administration, had pledged in spring to conduct "extensive scientific investigation" that would establish the source of autism in a matter of months.
But experts advised that discovering a single cause of autism - believed by scientists to be the outcome of a complex mix of genetic and surrounding conditions - would prove challenging.
Autism spectrum disorder is a type of permanent neurological difference and disability that influences how people encounter and relate to the world, and is diagnosed using physician assessments.
In his court filing, Paxton - a Trump ally who is running for federal office - claims the manufacturer and J&J "willfully ignored and attempted to silence the research" around paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder.
The case seeks to make the companies "eliminate any promotional materials" that asserts acetaminophen is reliable for pregnant women.
The court case parallels the complaints of a assembly of mothers and fathers of young ones with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD who filed suit against the producers of acetaminophen in 2022.
A federal judge rejected the legal action, declaring investigations from the parents' expert witnesses was not conclusive.