Texas Top Legal Officer Sues Tylenol Manufacturers Over Autism Spectrum Allegations
The top legal official in Texas Paxton is taking legal action against the makers of Tylenol, alleging the companies hid safety concerns that the drug posed to pediatric neurological development.
The lawsuit arrives four weeks after Former President Trump promoted an unsubstantiated connection between taking acetaminophen - referred to as paracetamol - while pregnant and autism in offspring.
The attorney general is suing Johnson & Johnson, which formerly manufactured the drug, the sole analgesic approved for women during pregnancy, and Kenvue, which presently makes it.
In a declaration, he stated they "betrayed America by gaining financially from pain and marketing drugs ignoring the potential hazards."
Kenvue asserts there is insufficient reliable data linking Tylenol to autism spectrum disorder.
"These companies deceived for years, deliberately risking numerous people to increase profits," Paxton, a Republican, stated.
The manufacturer commented that it was "seriously troubled by the perpetuation of misinformation on the safety of acetaminophen and the possible consequences that could have on the well-being of women and children in America."
On its online platform, Kenvue also said it had "regularly reviewed the applicable studies and there is no credible data that shows a proven link between using acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder."
Associations speaking for doctors and healthcare providers agree.
The leading OB-GYN organization has declared acetaminophen - the main ingredient in acetaminophen - is among limited choices for expectant mothers to address pain and fever, which can create serious health risks if left untreated.
"In multiple decades of studies on the utilization of acetaminophen in pregnancy, not a single reputable study has successfully concluded that the use of acetaminophen in any stage of gestation results in brain development issues in offspring," the group said.
The lawsuit references current declarations from the previous government in asserting the drug is reportedly hazardous.
Last month, the former president raised alarms from health experts when he told expectant mothers to "resist strongly" not to use Tylenol when ill.
The US Food and Drug Administration then released a statement that physicians should contemplate reducing the use of Tylenol, while also mentioning that "a direct connection" between the medication and autism in young ones has not been established.
Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who oversees the Food and Drug Administration, had vowed in April to conduct "extensive scientific investigation" that would identify the origin of autism spectrum disorder in a short period.
But authorities advised that discovering a sole reason of autism spectrum disorder - believed by scientists to be the result of a intricate combination of inherited and environmental factors - would be difficult.
Autism spectrum disorder is a category of enduring cognitive variation and disability that influences how persons encounter and engage with the world, and is recognized using doctors' observations.
In his court filing, the attorney general - a Trump ally who is campaigning for federal office - asserts the manufacturer and Johnson & Johnson "deliberately disregarded and sought to suppress the science" around paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder.
The lawsuit aims to force the firms "remove any promotional materials" that states Tylenol is secure for expectant mothers.
The court case echoes the concerns of a group of mothers and fathers of minors with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who took legal action against the makers of Tylenol in two years ago.
The court dismissed the legal action, stating studies from the plaintiffs' authorities was inconclusive.