🔗 Share this article

The top legal official in Texas Paxton is filing a lawsuit against the manufacturers of Tylenol, asserting the firms concealed safety concerns that the pain reliever presented to children's neurological development.

The court filing arrives thirty days after Donald Trump promoted an unproven link between using acetaminophen - also known as paracetamol - while pregnant and autism spectrum disorder in offspring.

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 now manufacturers it.

In a statement, he claimed they "deceived the public by profiting off of pain and promoting medication without regard for the potential hazards."

Kenvue says there is no credible evidence linking Tylenol to autism spectrum disorder.

"These companies lied for decades, deliberately risking countless individuals to boost earnings," Paxton, a Republican, stated.

Kenvue commented that it was "very worried by the perpetuation of misinformation on the safety of acetaminophen and the potential impact that could have on the well-being of women and children in America."

On its website, the company also mentioned it had "regularly reviewed the relevant science and there is lacking reliable evidence that shows a proven link between using paracetamol and autism."

Associations speaking for physicians and healthcare providers concur.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has stated acetaminophen - the primary component in acetaminophen - is among limited choices for pregnant women to treat pain and fever, which can present serious health risks if not addressed.

"In multiple decades of investigation on the consumption of acetaminophen in pregnancy, zero credible investigations has successfully concluded that the use of acetaminophen in any stage of pregnancy leads to neurodevelopmental disorders in young ones," the group stated.

This legal action references current declarations from the previous government in arguing the drug is allegedly unsafe.

Recently, the former president generated worry from medical authorities when he instructed pregnant women to "fight like hell" not to consume acetaminophen when sick.

The US Food and Drug Administration then issued a notice that medical professionals should think about restricting the usage of Tylenol, while also mentioning that "a proven link" between the medication and autism in minors has not been proven.

Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who oversees the FDA, had promised in spring to initiate "extensive scientific investigation" that would determine the cause of autism spectrum disorder in a short period.

But experts warned that finding a single cause of autism spectrum disorder - believed by scientists to be the outcome of a complicated interplay of genetic and surrounding conditions - would not be simple.

Autism is a category of lifelong neurodivergence and disability that affects how people encounter and engage with the environment, and is identified using physician assessments.

In his court filing, Paxton - a Trump ally who is campaigning for US Senate - claims the manufacturer and Johnson & Johnson "willfully ignored and attempted to silence the research" around paracetamol and autism spectrum disorder.

The lawsuit seeks to make the corporations "eliminate any commercial messaging" that states Tylenol is secure for expectant mothers.

The Texas lawsuit parallels the complaints of a group of parents of minors with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who sued the makers of Tylenol in two years ago.

A federal judge rejected the case, declaring studies from the parents' expert witnesses was inconclusive.