The State of Texas Top Legal Officer Sues Acetaminophen Producers Concerning Autism Assertions
The top legal official in Texas Ken Paxton is filing a lawsuit against the producers of Tylenol, claiming the corporations hid alleged dangers that the pain reliever posed to pediatric brain development.
The court filing comes four weeks after President Donald Trump advocated an unverified association between taking acetaminophen - alternatively called paracetamol - during pregnancy and autism spectrum disorder in children.
The attorney general is suing J&J, which once produced the drug, the sole analgesic recommended for pregnant women, and the current manufacturer, which presently makes it.
In a statement, he said they "deceived the public by gaining financially from suffering and promoting medication without regard for the dangers."
The manufacturer asserts there is lacking scientific proof linking acetaminophen to autism.
"These manufacturers deceived for years, knowingly endangering countless individuals to boost earnings," Paxton, from the Republican party, declared.
The manufacturer commented that it was "seriously troubled by the dissemination of inaccurate information on the safety of acetaminophen and the likely effects that could have on the health of US mothers and children."
On its website, the company also said it had "consistently assessed the applicable studies and there is lacking reliable evidence that demonstrates a established connection between using acetaminophen and autism."
Organizations acting on behalf of physicians and health professionals concur.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has said acetaminophen - the key substance in acetaminophen - is a restricted selection for women during pregnancy to manage pain and fever, which can present major wellness concerns if not addressed.
"In multiple decades of investigation on the consumption of paracetamol in gestation, not a single reputable study has successfully concluded that the usage of acetaminophen in any stage of gestation causes neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring," the organization commented.
The lawsuit cites recent announcements from the previous government in asserting the medication is allegedly unsafe.
In recent weeks, the former president raised alarms from public health officials when he told pregnant women to "fight like hell" not to consume acetaminophen when unwell.
The FDA then issued a notice that doctors should consider limiting the consumption of acetaminophen, while also mentioning that "a proven link" between the medication and autism in children has not been established.
The Health Department head RFK Jr, who manages the Food and Drug Administration, had promised in April to undertake "extensive scientific investigation" that would identify the origin of autism in a limited time.
But authorities cautioned that discovering a single cause of autism spectrum disorder - believed by scientists to be the consequence of a intricate combination of inherited and surrounding conditions - would prove challenging.
Autism is a form of lifelong neurodivergence and condition that impacts how individuals perceive and engage with the world, and is recognized using medical professional evaluations.
In his court filing, Paxton - who supports Trump who is campaigning for US Senate - alleges the manufacturer and J&J "deliberately disregarded and tried to quiet the research" around acetaminophen and autism spectrum disorder.
The case aims to force the companies "eliminate any promotional materials" that states Tylenol is reliable for pregnant women.
The Texas lawsuit echoes the concerns of a group of mothers and fathers of minors with autism and ADHD who sued the makers of acetaminophen in recently.
The court rejected the lawsuit, stating investigations from the family's specialists was inconclusive.