Texas Top Legal Officer Sues Acetaminophen Producers Over Autism Spectrum Allegations
The top legal official in Texas Ken Paxton is taking legal action against the makers of acetaminophen, claiming the firms withheld alleged dangers that the medication created to pediatric cognitive development.
The court filing comes four weeks after President Donald Trump promoted an unsubstantiated connection between consuming Tylenol - also known as paracetamol - during pregnancy and autism in young ones.
Paxton is suing the pharmaceutical giant, which formerly manufactured the drug, the only pain reliever suggested for women during pregnancy, and the current manufacturer, which presently makes it.
In a statement, he said they "deceived the public by profiting off of pain and marketing drugs ignoring the risks."
The manufacturer states there is lacking scientific proof linking acetaminophen to autism.
"These manufacturers misled for generations, intentionally threatening countless individuals to increase profits," the attorney general, a Republican, declared.
The manufacturer commented that it was "seriously troubled by the spread of false claims on the reliability of acetaminophen and the possible consequences that could have on the well-being of American women and children."
On its website, the company also said it had "regularly reviewed the applicable studies and there is lacking reliable evidence that demonstrates a established connection between consuming paracetamol and autism."
Associations representing medical professionals and health professionals concur.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has stated paracetamol - the main ingredient in Tylenol - is among limited choices for women during pregnancy to manage pain and fever, which can pose serious health risks if left untreated.
"In over twenty years of investigation on the use of acetaminophen in pregnancy, no reliable research has definitively established that the consumption of paracetamol in any trimester of pregnancy causes neurological conditions in young ones," the group said.
The court filing references current declarations from the former administration in asserting the medication is potentially dangerous.
In recent weeks, Trump raised alarms from health experts when he advised pregnant women to "resist strongly" not to consume Tylenol when ill.
Federal regulators then issued a notice that physicians should contemplate reducing the usage of acetaminophen, while also stating that "a proven link" between the drug and autism in minors has not been proven.
The Health Department head RFK Jr, who supervises the FDA, had vowed in spring to conduct "comprehensive study program" that would determine the source of autism spectrum disorder in a matter of months.
But experts warned that finding a single cause of autism spectrum disorder - thought by researchers to be the consequence of a intricate combination of genetic and environmental factors - would not be simple.
Autism spectrum disorder is a form of permanent neurological difference and impairment that impacts how persons encounter and engage with the environment, and is recognized using physician assessments.
In his lawsuit, the attorney general - a Trump ally who is campaigning for US Senate - alleges Kenvue and J&J "intentionally overlooked and sought to suppress the evidence" around acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder.
This legal action attempts to require the companies "eliminate any promotional materials" that states acetaminophen is safe for expectant mothers.
The court case echoes the complaints of a assembly of guardians of minors with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who sued the makers of acetaminophen in 2022.
Judicial authorities rejected the legal action, declaring research from the family's specialists was lacking definitive proof.